Take a Look Through the Masquerade
by The Mysterious Nobody
Summary: What if there was a society hidden even to those of the wizarding world? A society of dark beings with inhabitants of obscure intentions? take a look at it. Vampire!Harry. BEING REWRITTEN. See "Blood of the Gods"
1. Prologue: Have You Ever Seen?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own "Harry Potter" or "Vampire The Masquerade" series. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction... those trademarks and non-original characters are owned by "J.K Rowling" "Raincoast Books" and "White Wolf Games Studio"

**A/N**: Ok, so here it is my first attempt at a crossover fic. I always liked the "Vampire Harry" idea, but never found a fic that fully satisfied me so I decided to make my own. I've also begun to play "Vampire: The Masquerade" and I thought the concept of the Vampire world was very interesting, so I decided to combine it with my fic, and Here's the result of the experiment.

It doesn't matter if you've never played "Vampire", because I'll try to fill you with the details in the prologue. Well, enjoy.

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**PROLOGUE** **: Have you ever seen?**

What if one day you realized that the society in which you live has something hidden in it? We've got the feeling more than once. You surely thought of it. Well, there are always those who told you at some point during your short life that there was something off, that something was not right, strange things happened before your eyes, and you were ignoring it. That there was an entire world hidden behind the facade of the one you lived in. We often pass these "prophets", "seers", or whatever you want to call them, quickly and label them as madmen, but as I learned some time ago, you never know what piece of valuable knowledge you can find in a madman's speech.

Of course, to believe, most of us must "see". In fact, very few have such a faith to believe in something they have not seen before. They fear what they don't know and the majority are quite satisfied with their simple boring normal lives. Of course, there are those who belive in some kind of deity, but most of them are hypocrites, or too naive to be hypocrites.

Now, what if I told you that I have "seen"?

The first time I saw through that veil I was a mistreated, simple-minded, scrawny eleven year old child who accepted his fate as an insignificant bother. Oh yes, there are quite a few times that I've "seen", but we'll get into that later. As I was saying, I was lied all my life till that point. Then, something happened. Now I wouldn't qualify it as such, but back then, to me it was a miracle, a ray of light penetrating into the darkness of my life; My own Hogwarts Letter.

And suddenly I was in a new world, a world where I was someone, where I had a purpose. A world hidden behind the one I knew before, the Wizarding World. Yes, they existed. Witches and Wizards, and an entire community of other magical beings, unknown to "Muggles"(non magical beings, if you didn't already knew). But again, little I did know that there was still a blindfold before my eyes.

Yes, you guessed right, there are other communities that even those of the wizarding world do not know of their existence. As my Sire said once, "If they knew, they would be running like headless chicken and we would be doomed". That world is hidden in the shadows of the one both wizards and muggles know and accept. It begins it's activity when the sun sets, and it ceases it when the first rays of sunlight can be seen in the horizon. Our people like to call it "The Dark World", yes I know it's corny, and most of us have established what we like to call a "Masquerade" to hide it's existence, for we think that our survival, the survival of our species depends on that facade.

No, we're not the Mafia or part of a secret society who likes to practice all kind of sexual perversions during nighttime. In fact it is highly probable that you've seen at least once one of us. We move between you, we make deals with some of you, we even can stand in a high position in your social structure. In many ways, our relationship is symbiotic, although it can be seen as a Predator-Prey one, for we feed from you, and we are reborn from you.

We are the Childer of Caine, the lamia, the Undead, the Pitiful Wretches of Eternal Hell (1), we are vampires. Inmortals. We have little to fear, but we are that which must be feared. Sometimes, Some of us have even been worshipped and adored like gods, others have been scorned, but the world is always ours, and always will be.

Yes, I'm a bloodsucker, I, like my comrades, drink human blood to maintain my body. Without it, I would pass away and rot, with it, I can live forever. It is not easy to kill us, and we are only forbidden to see the sun ever again; if we did, we would turn to ashes, but aside from that, we can stand where human creations have turned to dust, and there's a whole society of beings like me, lurking in the shadows of your home.

I'm not going to bore you telling you the entire story of our race, I'll only fill you the basics so you can understand my story:

We vampires are a big community called the Kindred, and we are all the childer of Caine, the first of us. A Vampire is born when he's "embraced" by another of the Damned, given "the kiss" as we say, or to feed an almost bloodless human with our "vitae", our life essence, our blood, as my Sire did to me, and the Sire of my Sire did to her. My embrace was quite curious, you see... anyway, I'm rambling..., that's what happens when you've "lived" so much as I did... Where was I? Oh!, yes, the Sire. The Sire is the Bloodfather or Bloodmother of a newborn Vampire, and this newborn is this Sire's Childe ( quite confusing if you ask me). The Sire takes his Childe under his wing and teaches him all about being one of us, and introduces him into his clan.

Oh yes, there are Bloodlines, races, clans among us. We aren't just one species. We are organized and quite capable. What were you thinking? That we are some kind of barbaric monsters? We are (almost) like any other society. We have our alliances and wars. Every clan has it's own particular philosophy and ways of viewing the no-life, but for our survival, most of us have to forge treaties with the others, putting aside our differences.

Well, let's see... First, and in alphabetical order we have the Assamites. The Assassin's clan. The majority of them has Arabic ascendance. Quite annoying goup if you ask me. Should I decide, and they would dissapear from the face of the earth, such brutality... but again, other clans might need them...

Then we have the Brujah. Bloody anarchists, to think that once they were the scholars of our society... Me and my brothers could care less about them and their autodestructive nature, although they do a nice dirty job, you know what I'm saying?

The next ones of the lot are the Gangrel. They'd say to you that they are the ones most in contact with their animal nature... Well, yes, they are quite bestial, but also they remind me a bit of those Greenpeace dudes, with all that ecology thing during my living days. They aren't brainy, so their job is usually muscular

The Giovanni are a bit creepy, but elegant in their own way. They come from Europe and are Necromancers. They are well mannered and quite chavalier, but our opinion is that working with corpses to do magic can't be good, not for the Undead, nor for the living ones...

The Lasombra. Now these ones are creepy. Fucking sadistic bastards they are. The bloody gits hide behind a façade of glamour and sophistication, but they are bloodthirsty disrespectful beasts. Man, you wouldn't want to be human and be near one of those, not even we want to spend more time of the necessary with them...

Then we Have the Malkavians. Lunatics. There are some seers between them, but the majority are insane in one way or another. Talking to one of them is quite a traumatic experience; it's damn hard to separate the valuable things they say from the crap they are constantly talking about...

The Nosferatu are defaced monsters, condemned to live always in the shadows. Some of us say that the curse of Vampirism changed them as a punishment for something that one of the first sons of Caine did... bullshit, they're just how they are, like any other race. Uglier, yes, but they are goddamn good informers. It is a pity that the sewer's smell is following them everywhere. Sometimes, back on my first days as one of the Kindred, remembering my living days, I so wanted to see Malfoy and his sleeked hair turned into one of them... Ahh, that would be Karma.

Next I'll tell you about the Ravnos, Gipsies and jokers. They can't think coolly, too hot-headed for their own good, and are quite independent. When I found one of them, they always reminded me in some sort of sick way to Fred and George Weasley , minus the shared speech and the same simpathy. I only know you can't trust them to do something serious...

The next ones are the Setites, or followers of Seth. They say they come from Egypt, and that the first of them was adored like a deity. For us that's a load of crap, but we let them think what they want. They adore snakes and remind me somehow of the good ole' Slytherin house, adding to it religious beliefs, but with the same backstabbing attittude...

The Toreadores are artists. They like to live among luxury and they say that they live committed to beauty. You could describe them as beautiful lazy gits... Maybe Fleur Delacour and some other of those superficial Beauxbatons girls would have made a good couple of them. They aren't a bad company, and surely are a good laid.

The Tzimisce are monsters. Not like the Nosferatu, but in their own creepy way. They like to transform their body parts to be more "in tune" with their "Demonic Nature". They aren't called "demons" for nothing, after all. Again, if you want to know what I think of them I would say that they are just another group of creepy sadistic bastards that hide behind a diplomat mask. Some would say that they have a way with words, but their conversations tend to end with one or two bloodbaths, and we like to keep our hands clean... ...Well, we like to keep our hands where they are.

Finally we have the Ventrue clan. The Ventrue are the "aristocrats" of our society. The majority of them come from the old wealthy families, and they are obsessed with power. They are the ones in control of the Masquerade and their behavior reminds me of the old mafia.

And Which clan is my humble self in? Well, none of those above, my dear friend. No, I'm not a clanless vampire. Think a little, I know you can... What was I before being one of the Damned? Yes, I was a Wizard, in fact i still am, not by the same standards anyway, I "lost" my magic once I was "embraced" and I can't use a wand, but I can use the powers of my Vitae, my blood, to do spells. My clan is called the Tremere, we are sorcerers, we are survivors. We aren't the most trusted ones, shit happens, but we believe the power comes from knowledge, and in knowledge we trust. We don't need anything else. Here I am, a Gryffindor in his own right talking like a bloody Ravenclaw... Vampirism tends to do that to you...

One of my old acquintances told me once that "there is neither good or evil, but power and those willing to wield it", and knowledge is power after all. He was an evil git, but he was right after all. Hermione would be proud, if she knew about us.

Amongst the clans, there are factions and alliances, those who support the Masquerade and those who are against it, the Camarilla and the Sabbat. Then, there are those "independent" who have business with clans from both factions. We believe in the strength of the Camarilla. It can be old, and sometimes a bunch of idiots, but in a tower there's always strenght, despite the age of the bricks.

I know that was kind of boring, but if you want to follow my story you need to know the basics of the world where I live. Of course the Wizarding World isn't ignorant about the existence of Vampires, we are a pretty large community and we haven't got spells to hide ourselves, at least most of us haven't, but when i recall what they taught us about Vampires in Hogwarts, the first thought in my head is "what a shitload". If only they knew... Caine must be laughing his arse off, wherever he is. Maybe, the hardest part of the change is leaving your live in the past to live a new one, but it must be done, I learned that the hard way. You see, being a vampire changes you. At first, you recall your past life and try to live by your old standards, but soon you realize that It can't be. You've changed and you have a thirst for blood. You're a predator, and your old friends and comrades are your prey. You can live forever, they have limited lives. You are powerful, most of them are pitiful. So our character and our way to think tries to adjust to this new perspective of life.

I remember my first days amongst the Kindred, trying to adjust to my new situation. I was scared, I found myself without magic and craving for the blood of my friends. I was scared, and when some of them found out, they were scared too. You see, I already told you that my "embrace" was quite unusual. Oh yes, I was left alone for some time by my Sire, for she thought that I hadn't gone through the transformation, that she had been too late to feed me with her vitae. So I awoke newborn and alone, and of course, for some time I "tried" to live my "normal" life, but further i went with it, more I found that something was "off" with me. But that, my friend, it's a story that I'll tell you when you are ready. For now let's talk only about the basics.

Anyway, being a Vampire it's not that bad, it has it's advantages, and aside from the risk of turning to ashes in contact with the sun and our dependance on blood, the average vampire is way better than the average human. We are faster, stronger and nimble, or most of us are, and we usually turn more powerful trough time.

Oh yes, I maybe lost my normal wizarding magic the moment I was turned, but I gained something I was prophesied for; the power the dark lord knew not. Of course, neither knew Dumbledore or anyone from the order, but it seems that I was predestined to be a bloodsucker. Oh, the Irony! The savior of the Wizarding World, defender of the weak, beacon of the light being a bloodthirsty dark being ( I'm also quite smart and incredibly handsome, but don't tell anyone I said that)

This is my story, or part of it anyway. My full name is Harold James Potter, if you didn't already knew, also known as "The Boy Who Lived", and later "The Boy who Vanished" ( yes, it's lame, I know, but it wasn't I who came up with it so don't blame me!, anyway, I don't know what's with wizards and lame titles, I mean, What the hell is a "Supreme Mugwump"...), And this is the tale of how I opened my eyes and saw the whole picture for the first time in my life...

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**(1)** Some sentences and calificatives from this part are quoted from the Vampire:The Masquerade website, therefore, they aren't my work.

**A/N2**: Here it is, the prologue. I hope you enjoyed it and that the part of the vampire clans wasn't too boring. Anyway, i'm waiting for your reviews. Let me know if I should continue with it and if you found it interesting. Flamers are allowed, but I would prefer constructive criticism, thank you. Anyway, read and Review my friends.

**The Mysterious Nobody**


	2. Chapter 1: Bite Me

**Disclaimer**: I don't own "Harry Potter" or "Vampire The Masquerade" series. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction... those trademarks and non-original characters are owned by "J.K Rowling" "Raincoast Books" and "White Wolf Games Studio"

**A/N**: Ok, so here it is my first attempt at a crossover fic. I always liked the "Vampire Harry" idea, but never found a fic that fully satisfied me so I decided to make my own. I've also begun to play "Vampire: The Masquerade" and I thought the concept of the Vampire world was very interesting, so I decided to combine it with my fic, and Here's the result of the experiment.

You know, I wouldn't mind some reviews. I would like to know what you think of my story, and your suggestions to make it better would be appreciated.

**Warning**: Language and explicit violence.

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**CHAPTER 1 : Bite Me**

Have I told you how does one of you, humans, become a bloodsucker? Well, yes, I told you the basics of the process, but I haven't told you the details, all the parts a Vampire has to go through with his chosen future Childe to turn him into one of us.

Well, It's not complicated. In fact, it is quite easy to "turn" someone, but to give him the proper "embrace", to truly transform him into one of us, there are several steps that we have to follow.

I usually compare the process to making a movie. Yes, don't laugh, I'm being quite serious, because if you aren't serious turning someone, things can get very bad very quickly.

As I was saying, the "embrace" process it's similar to making a movie. Like a movie, it goes through three basic parts: Pre-production, Production and Post-Production.

In the "Embrace" process, the Pre-Production part would be the information gathering about the subject you have chosen. Of course, you usually search relevant subjects that will be useful for our society and your clan, and of course, every clan has different interests. For example, us, the Tremere, are most interested in witchcraft, sorcery and knowledge, so we search people who are adept on those fields. Our clan is one of the few that stalks wizards, along with the Giovanni and the Ventrue. Rowena Ravenclaw's house is one of the most closely watched by us in Scotland, and with us, in our english community, there are quite a number of ex-members of that house.

Anyway, the information gathering is a very important thing to do. You don't want to know just if the person you have been keeping an eye on will be a good member of our society. You want to know all his habits and movements so the "turning" will be done correctly in a mostly discrete place, away from curious stares that could blow away the Masquerade. So you memorize the hobbies, actions and daily activities of the subjects during a relatively short time. This "stalking time", let's admite it, it is stalking after all, can go from a couple of days to a couple of years, but is usually short and there are only a few known cases of people stalked since their birth. Heck, for that exist those who are bred to be one of us, taught our ways since birth to be the perfect Vampire, but that's not the current case.

Once you are sure that your future Childe will do well, when you have your scheme and you have selected a time and a place to "embrace" him or her, you can move onto the Production stage of this Embrace process; the "Kiss"

There are many ways to give the Kiss to a subject, and it can be forced or voluntary, that depends on the Sire ( although it is usually forced); you can lure the future childe into a trap or you can convince him or her to join the race. Of course, the second option has its perks, so now you can understand why most of us use the first. But there's always some satisfaction in a sick romantic way if your Childe wants you to embrace him, and begs for it.

So the process is quite simple; once you are ready, you bite your candidate and suck him dry. You have to leave him just with the amount of blood required to leave him barely alive. Remember to never come from a feast when you have to turn someone, that's a must. It leaves you quite full and there have been cases of colleagues who have been puking all night long just for forgetting not to eat before turning someone. And believe me, those blood stains don't leave the clothes or the carpet even with acid.

Then, when our candidate is whimpering and struggling for his life like, trying not to surpass th fine line between life and dead, you feed him/her with your "Vitae", your life essence, your blood. That's the actual "Kiss", and it requires the tiniest bit of one's blood.

There are several ways to do it, but the most popular and romantic, the ideal way we could say, is cutting your bottom lip or your tongue with your fangs and actually kiss your future childe to feed him/her with the blood coming from the wound you inflicted yourself.

Of course, it works with blood from any part of your body, but would you pass a good snogging opportunity? Well... now that I think of it, I would say it depends on the childe, and no, I'm not a sexual starved bastard, but hey, even Vampires have our needs.

When the subject has been fed ( make sure he swallows the blood, it wouldn't be the first time one of us has been holding a corpse during hours waiting for his wonderful childe to wake up, to later find that she or he had died because he or she hadn't swallowed the "Vitae" given to them) he/she will die.

Literally.

The candidate will stop to breathe and the heart will stop beating. And then, after a short time, it happens.

The transformation.

The body changes and the subject awakes from his or her slumber, reborn as a children of the night, and one of our kind. A happy fanged newborn.

Your Childe.

And finally, we arrive to the Post-Production part of the process. The last part before "selling" the product, the ending of the night's simphony. The las part of the "Embrace" is the education. Of course, your Childe will need to be taught our ways, and everything that a newborn vampire needs to know to succeed in our society.

If not, the Childe would end a Caitiff, a clanless vampire, and that's a rather difficult situation for one of the lamia. Probably would end hurting or killing himself in some way before his new condition could be explained, or would end up abused by other comrades or even blow up the Masquerade.

Of course, there are certain instincts that are passed with the blood given during the "Embrace", but a Childe is like a son, and your role as a Sire is like the one of a father or a mother.

So now, I bet most of you are eager to know how was my "Embrace". Don't worry, i'll tell you soon, but don't be impatient. Of course, before you ask, I'll tell you that it wasn't normal, not for the standards of our clan, nor for most of our race, as it couldn't be being me, the subject of the process. Back when my heart still beat, Ginny would say that nothing could be normal with Harry James Potter. How right was she.

I remember the day as if it was yesterday, and I like to remember it. Don't get me wrong, it's a trauma, but if taken philosophically, you realize that it's a beautiful thing to remember your birth. How you came to be. You don't have the opportunity to do so in your human life, and that second "birth", gives you the chance to experience and taste something that resembles the moment you awoke from your slumber in your mother's belly and filled your lungs with air for the first time.

In fact the first reaction when you wake up is to fill your lungs with air. Stopping to breathe is one of the most difficult things to do for one of the Damned, after all it was an unconscious reaction of the body, and normally it wasn't controlled willingly, and there are those who won't stop doing it at all to remember what was to be human even for the smallest of the moments. What can I say? There are those who are born melancholic...

Anyway, with my tale...

As I was saying, I remember the day I was embraced as if it was yesterday. It was a rainy october 23rd, filled with work.

Like every day since I left Hogwarts, I left the Auror Academy to head to Grimmauld Place to an Order Meeting.

It had been two full years since I left Hogwarts and entered the Auror Training Program hoping to become a respected member of the wizarding society, and to learn some new tricks that helped me in one way or another to kill Voldemort.

We were in times of war, and at the young age of Nineteen, after experiencing the full blown meaning of the world "war", I had become one of the beacons of the light side in the fight against the Dark Lord. As most of you will know, I usually don't react well to fame, but after Dumbledore's death in my sixth year, people seemed to loose the faith and all hope to win the bloody fight against the so called Dark Forces.

So, me, Hermione and Ron decided to join the Order of the Phoenix, and together with Professor Lupin, we took control of it. You could say we transformed it into some "vessel" of hope for those who still believed we could win the war. I was the "unproclaimed" leader, the somewhat "Public" and visible face of the Order while Ron and Hermione were the ones who made up almost all the plans and strategies to follow to disband Death Eater raids and to capture the followers of the Dark Lord.

That day, I had received some information about a DeathEather attack down in Hogsmeade, in hopes to bring down some of Hogwarts' defenses. I remember Voldemort saying to me in one of our multiple telepathic conversations ( oh yes, you heard well) and organized a meeting to discuss a way to stop it.

But that was not the reason I longed for the meeting and the battle with the Death Eaters. The most important piece of information was who was going to be in the attack.

Oh yes, I was eager to meet her, to make her suffer, to "reducto" her to oblivion for what she did to Sirius. I was even capable of using one or two ( or three) dark curses if the opportunity came. you see, the Black Library was quite useful.

I wanted revenge on Bellatrix LeStrange.

And maybe that was what clouded my judgement that day

I opened the door of 12 Grimmauld place and stepped inside as if I owned the place. In fact I did. Sirius left it to me in his will. Anyway, once inside, and thanks to the unusual silence in the corridor ( the old hag was silent for once) I heard the muffled sounds of conversation that confirmed that everybody was already there.

"_What do you think Harry wants today?_" I overheard from the doorframe. The voice was probably owned by Ron, but thanks to the closed door, I couldn't tell if it was him, or one of his brothers.

But the next voice confirmed that indeed it was Ron. Hermione, as always, made herself known thanks to a high pitched "_Honestly, Ron. If Harry has called the meeting it must be something important. Maybe some information_".

That was one of the reasons, aside from my thirst for revenge. Since Snape's betrayal, the information and documentation about Voldemort's plans and whereabouts was scanty.

I opened the door, and I was instantly greeted by a collection of "Hello Harry's" or "Greetings Mr. Potter's" from the members of the Order and a "Wotcher Harry" by Tonks.

I stepped inside the room, and walked to my seat slowly, savoring the intrigue of the moment despite the eagerness I was feeling to go to the battle. Everyone was silent, observing me.

I sat on my chair and returned the gaze. After a few moments I spoke.

"I have big news' I said somewhat cheerfully, beaming at them like a child 'An informant whose identity won't be revealed, told me this morning that tonight, at 23:30 an attack will take place in the village of Hogsmeade, on Hogwart's Grounds"

Instantly, Professor McGonnagall rose from her seat to ask a series of questions about the information I had received. She wasn't Hogwarts' Headmistress for nothing, and she was worried about her student body's wellbeing, but I silenced her with my hand before she could mutter a word.

"Today is our big chance to hit a blow on Voldemort's forces. I've been told that in this attack will participate some Inner-Circle Death Eathers like Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape and Bellatrix Lestrange"

At that little piece of information everyone perked up, and looked at me intently. Everyone minus Hermione, of course, who saw the desire for revenge in my eyes and gave me a dark look.

"We will apparate into Hogsmeade, and we will wait for the attack. We will ambush the Dark Lord's followers and attack them by surprise. In and out. Without complications. We will disband the attack and capture whoever we can"

Almost everyone gave me a nod, but Remus, Hermione and Auror Shaklebolt seemed to frown a little till Moody spoke their thoughts.

"Wouldn't it be better if we actually had a plan? There's plenty of Time to elaborate and I would prefer to know what to do and to not be taken by surprise during the attack. There are plenty of things that can go wrong boy!" he seemed a bit angry. It was understandable. I had seen him that day during the training session and told him nothing about the attack or the informant.

"There's no need of further elaboration. We already have a plan! We go there, wait for them and crush them by surprise!" I snapped at him. After all, it didn't seem a bad plan to me at the moment, and despite his "Chess strategy experience" Ron seemed to agree with me, as did most of the order. Others, gave me a frown, but seemed to agree without further discussion.

So we equipped ourselves and apparated into Hogsmeade.

It was freezing. And very dark too. Most of us were damp from the rain and trembling with cold, watching the field with eagerness, searching for any detail that could mean an attack.

And then, we saw a signal. Well, most of us saw it. The others were blown by it.

There was an explosion just behind our hiding places, a few meters ahead from the Three Broomsticks. I remember seeing Hestia Jones' body flying right before my eyes, screaming like a banshee at the lost of her leg.

Then the Deatheaters came. There were at least fifty of them, versus the thirteen order members that could come to the raid. They almost pulverized us. Somewhat, it was a trap. My informant had set me up.

I saw spells flying everywhere. The sickly green of the killing curse and the angry red of the cruciatus were maiming us. I saw Ron crying in pain and Remus holding a bleeding Tonks.

I don't remember much of the battle, aside from the casualities, but in the end, and I still don't know how, the majority of us got out of there alive. We resisted them as well as we could and captured a couple of them. They began to retreat and we were going to apparate when I saw her.

Bellatrix LeStrange was standing in front of me with a smug look on her face. I was angry. She was the one who set me up, somehow I knew it.

Then she left running, as inviting me to go after her. Before I realized, I was in a pursuit. The last thing I heard was Tonks' scream to tell me to leave her and apparate with them to the Headquarters.

But I didn't care

I wouldn't listen

I wanted to destroy her. That was my only objective.

My first priority.

And with those thoughts in my head, I suddenly found myself facing a dark alley. There was nobody in it and it was very very dark. It seemed that she had disappeared somehow, maybe apparated, but I didn't hear the characteristic "crack" from apparition so it couldn't be. The possibilities of what could have happened where racing through my head till I heard a soft sound and felt something very painful in my side.

I looked down, scared, and I saw a silver dagger plunged in my chest. Warm blood oozing out of the wound.

I coughed and looked up to see the person whose hand was holding the dagger.

My emmerald green eyes met dark malicious purple ones.

It was her. A big grin plastered in her gaunt face Her eyes flared with glee.

And then, she spoke in her childish tone "Ohhh, Ickle baby Potter! You should be glad, now you'll be able to see your blood traitor parents and the fool of my cousin again" The grin transformed into a malicious smile "Don't worry, I'll tell how you whimpered and begged for your life to you precious friends while we torture them and meke them suffer"

That would have done it, but I couldn't move. I was paralyzed by the pain and by fear.

From the Darkness another black robed figure came out. It was Lucius Malfoy. "Have you finished with him Bella? Don't forget that the pleasure to torture him is also mine. He was, after all, the one who sent me to Azkaban" the bastard approached me and took the knife and pulled it from the wound. Some more blood came out of the wound and stained the muddy water that was on the floor.

"Aww, Lucius! I so wanted to torture him... Anyway, perhaps I'll can have my way with him in the dungeons... Remember to bring him alive dear, the Dark Lord told us to do so... Such a pity..." She said, seeming disapointed for a moment, and then apparated to their hideout.

That left Lucious Malfoy with a dagger in his hand and I alone in that dark alley.

"A pity indeed..." he muttered "But again, I can't go against my Lord's wishes. That doesn't mean I can't torture you a bit tough" and he laughed.

And continued lo laugh.

Laughing he raised the hand that was holding the dagger to thrust moments later again.

I closed my eyes expecting the pain of the silver blade passing through my flesh, opening a deep wound.

But nothing came.

Instead I heard a sound. Like something slashing flesh with a blade. But it wasn't my flesh, I felt no pain and my limbs were all where they should be...

Suddenly, the deep laughter of Lucius Malfoy became a high pitched scream of horror. Something warm soaked my face, and I knew it wasn't water.

I opened my eyes to see what the hell was going on there and saw Malfoy's arm severed by the elbow with blood sparying everywhere. On the floor, over me. Everything was crimson red. I could see the intense color despite the darkness, and I could smell the coppery liquid along with the damp smell of the recently soaked ground.

I felt the urge to puke but a loud "crack" snapped me out of my stuppor. It was when I realized that it was Lucius' neck snapping that I saw her, my savior, my Sire.

Her icy blue eyes where shining in the moonlight, along with her white pointy fangs. I couldn't see my "savior" well because of the darkness, but i was scared shitless. When her ruby red lips curled up into a feral smile, I did what every brave young auror in training would have done in the same situation.

I fainted.

When I woke up I was in some kind of warehouse. "_Probably still in Hogsmeade_" I thought. I was feeling a bit light headed and I had a fever. My body was cold. I was rather uncomfortable and I was still bleeding from the side. My "savior" hadn't heped me with my wounds or the cold I was catching. "S_ome hero I found_"

My ranting was interrupted by an Icy voice behind me.

"Welcome again to the world of the living. I can't say you'll live much more though"

That had done it. Suddenly I remembered those eyes and those fangs, and Malfoy's blood spraying everywhere. So I panicked.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" I asked rather scared.

"We've been watching you for quite some time, Mr. Potter. Some time indeed. And we want you to join us. It is a pity that you won't have a choice in the matter. You see, you're going to die anyway, and we think that it will be better if you can at least do something for our big family after death... Don't you think so too Mr Potter?" She asked rethorically. I cocked my head to her and caught a glimpse of her face. She was actually beautiful. Her face was heart shaped. She had porcelain white skin and full ruby lips. She has a button nose and beautiful icy blue eyes surrounded by those long eyelashes. Those were hypnotic eyes. Her thin eyebrows and her hair were dark, almost inky black. But as soon I got a glimpse of her she disappeared again only to reappear just behind me.

I felt strong but soft hands grab me from behind and a her soft cold voice whispered into my ear: "Don't worry Mr. Potter. Everything will be clear when you wake up"

With that I felt something over my neck, and after a wile, a tongue began caressing the soft flesh above my collarbone to the jugular vein.

Suddenly, I felt a couple of fangs punctuating through my skin and I cried in pain. It hurt like hell first, but moments later I was in ecstasy. It was pleasant, very pleasant. Almost like having a slowly orgasm, in which you can savour every moment for as long as you want.

It seemed that it was an eternity, when it really were no more than five minutes.

Then she withdrew her mouth from my neck and cleaned the excess of blood from her shin. "It is your turn to drink" she whispered to me.

I was loosing my consciousness slowly, and I was barely aware of what was happening.

She bit her bottom lip and draw blood. She leaned closer to and kissed me. Our lips crushed and my mouth opened hungrily accepting the gift of her Vitae, almost unconciously.

I swallowed her essence, and sank into the kiss till i felt the urge to sleep. Suddenly all my world went black, and the last thing I remember is sensing a light kiss on my forehead and a voice whispering into my ear.

"Good Night, my Childe"

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**A/N2:** Here's the first chapter. Don't expect me to update so quickly next time, it was just that now I have free time, but next chapters maybe will take longer to upload. I've also noticed some errors on the first chapter. once I have more of the story i'll try to do a major editing.

And please, Review and leave your comments so i can know what should be changed or what is wrong in my story and waht do you think of it.

**The Mysterious Nobody**


	3. Chapter 2: On Your Own

**Disclaimer**: I don't own "Harry Potter" or "Vampire The Masquerade" series. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction... those trademarks and characters are owned by "J.K Rowling" "Raincoast Books" and "White Wolf Games Studio". The OC's that will be in the story are mine and mine only though...

**A/N**: Ok, so here it is my first attempt at a crossover fic. I always liked the "Vampire Harry" idea, but never found a fic that fully satisfied me so I decided to make my own. I've also begun to play "Vampire: The Masquerade" and I thought the concept of the Vampire world was very interesting, so I decided to combine it with my fic, and Here's the result of the experiment. Second chapter.

**Warning**: Language and explicit violence. Blood.

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CHAPTER 2: On Your Own 

I felt like shit. Seriously. That was the first thought that entered my head when I woke up. I felt bad and funny, and somehow, changed in many ways.

I didn't recall what happened to me till much later, At the moment, the only thing that mattered to me was how bad I was feeling.

My body was cold, sore, very sore, and my teeth was aching. Everything was dark. My head was experiencing the worst migraine I've ever felt.

I stirred a bit from my lying position and noticed that a slightly damp fabric was covering me from head to toe. No wonder why I couldn't see anything. I removed it from my face, and my vision blurred for a few moments making me dizzy. That, added to the migraine, was making me want to puke right there, but surprisingly, when I tried, I discovered that I couldn't.

I muttered something among the lines of "_what the hell_" while trying to get a grip of myself. I cupped my forehead with my right palm in a vane attempt to stop the headache.

I stood, frozen, literally and metaphorically. I noticed that I was very, very cold. If a normal human being was to be as cold as I was then, he would have died of hypothermia. "_Not good_" was the most frequent of my thoughts while I was checking myself, trying to deduce what happened to me, and why the heck I was in that dark room.

Wait a minute. Room?

I dropped the hand that was rubbing my forehead. I tilted my head upwards to take a look and sighed in relief. At least, nothing was off with my eyes, Was it? I was seeing clearly like I normally did. I was wearing my glasses, so nothing seemed to be strange in that department. I wouldn't notice how wrong I was till a little bit later.

I continued analyzing the room, soaking myself with every detail in it. The room was slightly wide, a bit slippery too. It was made of stone and there were stairs and ladders to go upstairs to my left. I was in some sort of basement, or storage room. Probably in a shop. It was filled with crates of different sizes and there were a few bags here and there. There was a shelf behind me, full of metal cans. Another one was leaning against the opposite wall. It certainly wasn't very fear-inspiring, but in a way, I had an odd feeling about the room...

It was very familiar to me, but it was cold and somehow, dead. I couldn't place it yet.

It was then when I noticed that, along with my eyes, another sense of mine was working non-stop. I was sniffing the air, trying to determine what I was sensing.

The smell was familiar to me. It was overloading my brain.

It was the smell of Sweets. The same smell that invaded my mind every time I took the secret passageway to go from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade years before.

Now it clicked. I was in Honeyduke's cellar, in Hogsmeade.

Hogsmeade...

That revelation activated a switch in my head and let the memories of what happened before I woke up flood into my mind.

The attack, the ambush, the battle, Bellatrix, the pursuit, the dark alley, a trap, the knife, blood, that woman, more blood...

Hmmmm... blood...

Instantly I pushed those thoughts aside recalling the injuries I had received during the trap Bellatrix LeStrange and Lucius Malfoy set me.

Lucius Malfoy had been slaughtered.

As for the injuries... I felt no pain, but both my hands took their ways to feel the base of my neck, where that woman bit me, and to my side, where Bellatrix's knife penetrated the night before.

Surprisingly, there was nothing. Nothing at all.

Both previously injured spots were now covered by smooth skin. As if the events I recalled never happened, but there were huge bloodstains on my shirt, on the parts that should have been injured. "_weird_" I thought.

Weird indeed. The night was just beginning...

Night? Of course. That's why the room was so dark and felt so cold. But then, how the hell was I seeing in the dark?

The weird-o-meter in me was almost at the top. I was still feeling funny and a bit light-headed and the smell of the room was disgusting me. It never happened before, but now, the thought of eating candy felt wrong. I was very uncomfortable with the overloading smell of a room filled with it penetrating in my nostrils.

Soon, the only thing I was thinking of was how to get out of there fast. I was sick of that damn cellar. The smell in it was rotten and I couldn't get more of it.

I wanted out.

I made a face and decided to get up. My body, at first was barely responding to my brain. It infuriated me. Swearing, I tried it again, this time achieving the desired reaction from my limbs.

Shakily I stood. I didn't know why, but I felt worse than before. I felt weak, vulnerable. As if I was going to crumble right there if I didn't do anything soon.

The best option I had was apparition, so my hand went to grab a hold of my wand, took it out of my pocket, rose it a bit, gripped it tight grimacing a little at the contact between my sweaty palm and the Holly wood, and...

Nothing happened.

What the hell was wrong with me? Nothing was going right. I almost had a mental breakdown. I couldn't believe my magic wasn't working. I tried apparating several times, and then tried other spells, from a simple "_Windgarvium Leviosa_" to even a try of "_Aveda Kedavra_". "Swish and flick" didn't work. The result was always the same; Nothing. As if someone had swapped my wand with a wooden stick.

My magic wasn't there. My magic core seemed empty, and I coulnd't find any trace of magical energy in my body. My holly wand wasn't giving me that warm sensation, like it was a part of me. Now felt just like a dirty and sweat damp, useless piece of brownish wood.

It couldn't be, something had to be wrong, something that I wasn't getting.

I was panicking. Alone in the middle of the night in a disgusting cellar and without my magic. If a Death Eater or Voldemort was to attack then, I would be done for sure. I didn't want to die, I couldn't die.

My breathing was erratic and I could feel tears of fear in my eyes.

For the first time in my life, I was truly terrified. I never felt so unprotected, so vulnerable, since I was locked in that tiny dusty cupboard under the stairs in Surrey...

My head was hurting even more, and I thought that my heart would be racing, so I tried to grab a hold of myself and clutched my hand over my chest to feel my heart's rithm and calm a bit.

"_What the...?_"

Now that was the drop that filled the vase. I hadn't got a pulse. My heart wasn't beating. I was dead, I had to be dead. But I was breathing... Was I?

My mind couldn't cope with it anymore.

I lost it.

Right there.

My body began to shake violently and my anger rose.

I had to vent that turnmoil of emotions somehow.

I destroyed the room.

Fists clenched tight, drawing blood, I pulverized every single crate I found in my way. Splinters were imbedding in the soft flesh of my hands while tears were rolling down my cheeks.

I was staining the floor with drops of blood that mixed with the dirt in it, creating a reddish layer coating parts of the cellar. One thing was sure, the room was beginning to smell better thanks to the red substance flowing from me.

At the same time, my mental rant was still going on...

Why anything could be fine while I was involved? Why everything I did never turned all right? What did I do to deserve it?

I continued punching and kicking everything before me, while my head was racing through every traumatic experience i had lived. My parents' deaths, Voldemort, my time with the Dursleys, Voldemort again, the Chamber of the Secrets, Peter Pettigrew, more Voldemort, Cedric's death, Dolores Umbridge's punishment, Snape, the Department of Mysteries, Bellatrix LeStrange, Sirius' Death, much more Voldemort, Snape, Malfoy, Dumbledore's Death, Death Eater attacks, Uncle Vernon Passing Away... ...the informant, the ambush, the attack, Bellatrix, Malfoy, the trap, the dagger, that woman, Malfoy's blood, the dusty basement, the bite...

That woman...

That bloody fanged woman...

The bite...

Of course, that had to be it... How couldn't I think of that before?

My mind was suddenly filled again with all the images my eyes registered the night before, putting aside my angst-filled, self-pitying thoughts for a moment while trying to steady my breath.

That was what was off.

I tried to keep my head cool, and analyze the facts logically. First, I was dead. I had to be. It was the only logic reasoning to why I couln't use magic anymore. Magic disappeared in death. Wizarding magic was "alive". Also, my heart wasn't beating and my body was freezing...

That, though, didn't explain why I was standing very much "alive" and breathing... For all accounts I should be rotting away...

I was still solving the puzzle in my head, trying to come out with an answer to my state. I know that it seems a bit dumb of me not knowing already that I was bitten by and turned into a Vampire, but hey! I was in a state of shock, just past a very, very traumatic experience... I would want to see you think clearly through that!

Where was I? Oh, yes... As I said, I was still trying to solve the puzzle in my head, searching for clues in my memories of what happened the night before, trying to keep my head cool.

One thing was sure, the woman, she got all the keys, all the answers, and some could be obtained from my memories of her.

For starters she wasn't human. Therefore, she should be some kind of being. And she had fangs. She bit me, and fed me with her blood later... And, She talked in plural? No, that wasn't relevant at the moment...

She had to be a dark creature...

Fangs, bitten, dead, the kiss, blood...

Hmmmmm... Blood...

A memory popped up in my head. It was one from a class about Dark Creatures in DADA during my seventh year with Professor Lupin, who got the position again. We had just finished studying Dementors and Inferi, and we were talking about some other rumored "Undead" dark Beings.

_"Well, now we're going to review some other Dark Creatures who are supposed to exist, although very few are those who confirm those theories" Said Professor Lupin tiredly. The full moon had been a few days ago._

_"The first ones of the lot are Vampires. Anyone can tell me what a Vampire is?"_

_Almost instantly, Hermione's hand was up in the air, but there were also a few others like Parvati's, Dean's in the Gryffindor side of the classroom and Pansy Parkinson's in the Slytherin corner._

_"Yes Mr. Thomas?" Asked Professor Lupin with a smile plastered on his face while looking at Hermione who was failing miserably into trying to pout._

_"Vampires are believed to be dark creatures that bit you with their fangs to suck your blood" Answered a bit lamely Dean, trying to sound like Hermione. A few rows ahead of him, said witch was making strange faces at the definition and Ron couldn't help to laugh his arse off at her expressions, earning himself a glare from the Bookworm._

_"That is mostly correct Mr. Thomas, although it could be better... five points to Gryffindor" Professor Lupin awarded some points and kept with the class. " As Mr Thomas Said, fangs are believed to be the most characteristic feature of Vampires. Two subtly overgrown upper canines, extremely sharp, are used to pierce through they're victim's skin to draw blood. Blood is what they're searching, for it is their "food". They're suposed to be "false inmortals"; their race has not the capacity of living forever like High Elves do. In fact, they are somehow dead, but alive at the same time, in a state we call the "No-Life". They can continue "no-living" as long as they consume the blood they require to mantain their bodies. Little more is known about them. In fact, most scholars doubt that the race exists at all, believing them to be stories to scare the wizarding children" Professor lupin finished his explanation on Vampires and proceeded with the rest of the class..._

So she had to be a Vampire, and my state had to be related to vampirism somehow. If what Remus had said during that class was true, then was I vampire? Was I "living" the No-Life? 

Indeed I was. I grasped that fact when my right hand, shakily, made its way to my open mouth, touching my slightly aching upper jaw, just to feel two pointy and sharp canines.

My hand travelled from my mouth to my frowning face, to wipe the tears from my cold cheeks, just to find that I was crying blood. "_For god's sake, what else?_" In My current state, that was all I could think of.

I stood, looking at my bloodstained hand in silence. After a few moments I became mesmerized with the red thick liquid. Almost hypnotized by the fine layer that was covering my hands.

It was as if it was calling me, telling me to lick it and enjoy the sweet coppery taste...

Hmmmmm... Blood...

I shook my head to come out from my trance, and tears made their way to my eyes again. But somehow I couldn't react, I couldn't bring myself to respond to my brain's pleads about getting out of that damn place. I was in a deep state of shock, crying blood in the dark.

To be sincere, I really don't know how much time took me to compose myself. Probably several hours. I'm sure it would have been quite a sight for anyone; an angsty fanged teen with bloodstained robes, hands and face, all alone in a destroyed cellar.

Sitting on a destroyed, and slightly red due to blood, crate, I thought that I had nowhere to go. If I was a dark creature, my friends wouldn't want me. They would shun me, perhaps even lock me up or kill me. Remus was a dark creature too, but with him there wasn't the danger to go on a bloodsucking rampage and suck his friends dry. There was also the fact that he transformed once every month, while I was a dark being full-time.

I sighed. They surely were worried. I had to go and see them, tell them I was "OK", or at least, as OK as one can be being dead. But I couldn't tell them about the transformation. I feared their reactions.

It didn't help either that my hunger was growing at a rather quick pace. It had started when I woke up from the "transformation", but the I didn't know what was I craving for. Now I had an idea...

With great effort, I cleared my head a bit from my blood craving and thought what could I do with my current state if I was really a Vampire. Heck, I was already thinking of myself as one of them and I didn't knew if they really existed or not for sure. This was insane...

In my angsty thoughts I reached the conclusion that I least I had to try to tell Professor Lupin, no, Remus. He was one of my parent's best friends and he would understand the situation I found me in. After all, he too was a dark creature.

I would go to the Headquarters and try to find him. Of course, no one aside from him could see me in this state before him. I feared that they would shun me or even try to kill me. That they would feel menaced by my presence. And not only that. I also feared for their lives, because of my newly discovered apetite for the red thick liquid running inside our veins. Of course, Remus would understand and help me with everything...

Wouldn't he?

So I rose from the crate that had been my seat during the past hour or so and tried to go upstairs weakly while judging what would be the best way to go to Grimmauld Place from Hogsmeade without apparating. Of course, Portkeys were out of the question too because of the wards of the Headquarters and because I couldn't make them anymore. Then there was flooing. I could floo. Even muggles could floo. And finally there were muggle means, but I was in a damn wizarding village in damn Scotland, which is very far from London, and I had no money at all...

In the end, floo turned out to be the best option.

Once upstairs, inside the actual shop, I detected the fireplace. The shop was as I remembered it to be, but with the night's aide, it gave me a soft air of creepiness.

When I went near the fireplace, it burst to life with reddish orange crackling flames.

In front of it, with a trembling hand, I grabbed a handful of floo powder from the hanging little bag at my left, and threw it at the fire with a cry of " 12, Grimmauld Place". The flames instantly turned that characteristic green color, and I felt dragged to another place.

I was instantly thrown off from the fireplace of the Headquarters' library. It seems that being a dark creature did nothing to help you flooing better...

No one was there to greet me, but I had the impression that I wasn't alone in the house, so I proceeded soundlessly downstairs to see who was in the house.

I made my way through the corridor till I heard muffled voices and crying coming from one of the doors leading to the dining room.

I opened the door just enough to take peek inside without being seen and soundlessly gasped.

Madame Pomfrey was working non-stop, aided by Fleur, tending the injured from the ambush.

I could see that Hestia Jones, Tonks and Ron were resting on tables. Tonks looked bad, but I could tell she wasn't in danger although she had a nasty gash across her chest, probably from a dark cutting hex. "_Sectusempra_" was the first word that was on my mind...

Hestia Jones was the one who was worst from what I could tell. She had lost a leg with the initial explosion, and had some acid burns on her face. More dark curses. The explosion was proably a magnified version of the "_Bombarda_" spell... She was whimpering weakly.

Ron wasn't faring much better. He wasn't physically injured, but he had been hit with several Cruciatus, so he was currently in a coma. At his side were Hermione and Mrs. Weasley who were crying their hearts out and hugging each other, for Ron and probably me.

In the room there were also other order members who had been on the ambush. Alastor Moody was pressing a gase to his forehead. It was red from the blood oozing out from the wound. Kingsley Shacklebolt had a few bruises and scratches, but he was fine. There also was Arthur Weasley who seemed to be hugging Fred and George, and Neville, guarded by his Gran who was scolding him. She never wanted him to join the order directly...

While looking at them I got a sickening feeling. With that quantity of blood, that smell, some of my instincts seemed to kick in. I wanted to go in there and slaughter them, suck them dry. I was hungry, so hungry...

Hmmmm, Blood...

I was going to reach for the doorknob, when a presence behind me put me out of my thoughts. I turned to see Remus almost crying. My agressive feral glare dissolved into a longing meek look.

"Oh my god! Harry! We thought you were dead!" He instantly said, walking to me with his arms extended.

"Professor Lupin... I..." I felt tears again, but I was trying my best to contain them. I had to explain him what happened.

But when his arms made their way around me, something went wrong, very wrong for both of us...

Instantly we flinched and he took a step back. Our eyes connected. His had turned a shining amber color. The glare was frightening, but I dind't seem to care. My instincts kicked in and took control over my body. I bared my fangs and returned the glare with a soft growl. Our postures more agressive with every moment.

You see, what I didn't know at the moment, and what most werewolves don't know either due to the Masquerade is that the "Lupines" ,as we call werewolves ( Ironic, ins't it?), have been wild enemies of the Kindred for millennia. Our instincts kick in because we fear them. We fear them because they can be cold-blooded Vampire killers and actually are part of the few creatures that can brag about killing single-handedly a group of the damned. They are dangerous even in their human forms. They hate us by instinct, and we don't know the reason why, but a Vampire cornered or trapped by a Lupine is in great danger. They're a furry, fanged and clawed disaster and we learn to avoid them in full-moon nights. The only clan of the Camarilla who seems to avoid the confrontation with them is the Gangrel. We suppose it is due to their more animalistic nature...

So my eyes were still connected with Remus' ones in a fierce glare. Hi amber orbs piercing through my flesh. My emmerald ones were narrowed dangerously.

And then it happened.

I could only watch from a corner of my mind, without control over my actions, as I pounded him and pinned him on the ground with incredible strength and speed I didn't know I had till that moment. The force of the impact seemed to crack the floor a bit. Remus was trashing, but at least he seemed to be struggling against me and against himself, not wanting to surrender to his werewolf instincts.

This didn't prevent me from hitting him with all my might all over his face, and clawing him a bit despite the short length of my nails.

He seemed in pain, and for a moment stopped struggling.

His eyes went wide when I pierced his neck's skin with my fangs and begun to suck his blood. He comenced trashing again, but I had him well pinned to the ground. He was also weakening more and more due to bloodloss, and in the end, he slipped into the realm of unconsciousness.

With a low growl and a hiss I withdrew the fangs from his neck. Like an animal, I continued hissing a bit and with my back arched I began to purr, the blood excess from my recent meal making its way down to my shin from the corners of my mouth.

I still had him pinned when I regained control over my actions. I looked at Remus in shock.

"_What have I done?"_ My mind blank aside for guilt that was assaulting me. Like I feared I was a danger for my friends. I couldn't be near them without getting them hurt or dead. Once again, I found myself crying.

At least Remus was alive. That was a relief, but the guilt wasn't less. I couldn't think of nothing more than getting out of the damn house, unaware of a pair of brown eyes that had seen all the "exchange". I would found out much later.

I was still trying to understand what happened when I heard the sound of the door of the dining room opening. So I ran. I didn't want to see them and I didn't want them to see me, so I ran as fast as I could, opened the door of the house and made my way outside. The last thing I heard was a shout of "Oh my god! Remus!"

I had been running through London for a while. Maybe a couple of hours and despite the cold weather, I was beginning to feel hot. I realized that there wan't much time till sunrise. You could begin to see the sky in a slightly lighter shade of blue, and not the deep navy blue of the night. And with every step I felt more and more uncomfortable.

The more I was outside, the more my skin felt like burning. I needed the shadows. I knew that from instinct. It felt right.after a while more, and a little more irritation for my pale skin, I found what appeared to be an abandoned and slightly run-down building. I made my way inside and to the basement.

There the emotional and physical strain took control of my body. The darkness engulfed me and I fell backwards, loosing conciousness. A hand stroked my hair while I was resting on the cold ground.

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**A/N2:** I'm satisfied with this chapter. Till now it is the longest of the story. Anyway, I'm glad to see the story is going where I want it to go, but I'm finding difficulties to explain some of the things that are gonna happen with the P.O.V I'm using. The life of a writer is suffering XD

**Tosser**: Yes, I know. English is not my motherly language, so forgive the mistakes. Don't worry though, I noticed most of the mistakes and I'll try to solve them editing the chapters in a while. Thank You.

**Mr. X**: I'll Try. I'm glad you like it.

**Carolina**: Thank you. Yes, as i said, it seems to be going where I want it to go. Now I'm a bit unsure of what to do next. If explain some things with flashbacks or actually take my time explaining Harry's time with the Kindred, but I'm more fond of the latter. Thank you again.

Anyway, Review so I can know what you think about the story and where it is going.

Till next time!

**The Mysterious Nobody**


	4. Chapter 3: The Talk

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter™ and all its characters are owned by JK Rowling and Raincoast Books. Vampire the Masquerade™ and all its contents are owned by White Wolf Games' Studio. However, I do Own the OC's from this story.

**A/N**: Ok, so here it is my first attempt at a crossover fic. I always liked the "Vampire Harry" idea, but never found a fic that fully satisfied me so I decided to make my own. I've also begun to play "Vampire: The Masquerade" and I thought the concept of the Vampire world was very interesting, so I decided to combine it with my fic, and Here's the result of the experiment. Third Chapter.

**Warning**: Language and explicit violence. Blood.

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CHAPTER 3: The Talk 

It had been nearly twelve hours since I got to sleep on that disgusting dusty floor inside that run-down building when I woke up. Though, I still didn't know that. After a few stirs and some groaning, my senses went slowly on focus. Still, I didn't want to wake up, I was very comfortable being where I was, in a very fluffy four poster bed. It was almost like Hogwarts...

Bed?

Ok, how does a neophyte crybaby Vampire, like me at that moment, get to sleep in a very comfortable four-poster bed with silk sheets, in a building I was sure that it wasn't the same than the one I closed my eyes in... ?

Obvious answer; someone, or something carried me...

I recalled those caresses I felt when I was loosing myself into the realms of unconsciousness. My first thought was that maybe it was a result from the trauma and an over-active imagination. On the other hand, maybe there was someone there, who carried me here where I was lying, and also tucked me, and those petty theories were the result of a trauma-damaged mind...

Everything was very confusing, that's for sure...

I had a lot in my head...

Instead of battling more with my confused brain, trying to extract some coherent theory of what happened between the moment I closed my eyes in the morning and the moment I opened them up, I got up and overwhelmed by a strange feeling of confidence and curiosity, I decided to look at the room where I was resting in.

I noticed I wasn't wearing my glasses, because my vision wasn't totally focused, but it was strangely better than the last time I remembered looking at something without my glasses. Everything was blurry. For a moment I was afraid to have lost them in that building. My fears went away when I found them on the bedside table.

"_Bloody Hell_" I felt a bit dizzy while rolling over myself, taking with me some of the silk, blue sheets, and grabbed the round glasses a bit roughly. I wasn't fully awake. Once put on they're place over my nose, everything went to focus.

Well... Something was sure... It wasn't the same building I got to sleep in in the morning. For starters, that was an abandoned and dusty run-down building. But the room where I was resting, one of the many bedrooms, I guessed, was luxurious and warm. Inviting but dark at the same time. It was rectangular, very long and wide. The ceiling was very high for a bedroom. So high that you, with the adequate light, couldn't actually get to see it. My bed was at the center of the south wall, and from there I could see every corner of the room. To my left, the moonlight was seeping through the glasses of the big victorian windows, projecting an eerie milky light that gave an ethereal air to the room. Everything seemed to be covered by black and navy blue velvet. The curtains were also made of velvet and were embroidered with silver thread forming strange patterns. To my right, there was a fireplace with a couch and two armchairs around. Between the two armchairs, there was a mahogany table with strange carvings, possibly flower motives. Over the little table there were only two silver-rimmed glasses and an expensive-looking crystal bottle with some thick red liquid inside. "_blood_" I dared to guess. Going a little further, still at the right side of the room, there were two big oak doors with strange carving patterns and two silver, detailed doorknobs. All the walls were painted in navy blue. Opposite of me, there was a very filled-looking wooden bookshelf, but it was far so i couldn't see it well. Hanging over the shelf there was also an old painting. A portrait. One of a very pale man wearing a black suit, with a large cane over his shoulder and a strange book under his left arm. He seemed defying but somehow noble at the same time... "_maybe the one who built this_"...

Feeling somehow secure, I dared to get up. My cold feet touched the floor only to meet a warm carpet. A very beautiful carpet for that matter. Walking a little, I noticed the rich tapestries I hadn't seen during my first glance at the room. One of them caught my interest. It seemed to display a crest with a snake coiled around a shield with some decorations and the motto "_Arbitirum Vincit Omnia_". I stayed a little admiring them not caring of being in undergarments in a place I didn't even knew of...

After a little while I also noticed a desk over the left side of the room, between the windows. It was darkened by the shadows. There were some papers and books and also a computer.

The whole room was screaming "wealthy"

I went over the fireplace and sat on one of the dark blue armchairs, the one that was closer to the fire. It gave me a sense of security. I noticed that the glasses on the table were full of the thick liquid. Looking around a little to make sure I was alone, I grabbed one of the glasses. "_That smell, that feeling_". I was intoxicated and hypnotized again by the thick red blood. That rich coppery taste, that smooth texture...

Hmmm... Blood...

I was feeling the same sensation on my stomach that when I woke up in Honeydukes' cellar, but to a lesser degree. It was almost like a strong hunger...

I placed the edge of the glass over my mouth and inclined it a bit, eager for my tongue to meet that elixir of life. I drank, and drank a bit more, but as I was drinking, as the blood was going all the way down my throat to my stomach, satisfying me, memories were flooding my head and a sudden pang of sadness enveloped me. I was remembering what happened the night before, at the Headquarters, after I woke up in Honeydukes...

I was feeling that pleasure. That elated pleasure. The same pleasure I felt when I plunged my newly discovered pointy fangs in Professor Lupin's rich jugular vein, while sucking his life-essence...

Now wait a minute...

"_I attacked Remus!_" That, I did. I also had longed, craved, for the blood of my friends. I almost killed one of my parent's best friends. One of the persons who helped me more through the hardest moments of my life...

I kept imagining the faces of my friends finding of my new "condition". All of them filled with disgust and hatred. They would banish me, shun me if not kill me if they had found that it was I who did that to Remus. I was dangerous. Uncontrolled. I would bring harm to those I loved, or more harm than when I was with them with Voldemort upon our arses.

Without realizing it, the glass was falling to the ground and with a muffled "thud" due to the carpet, spilled its content on the ground. There was a large bloodstain on the beautiful carpet now, and I couldn't help staring at it like a madman, with guilty thoughts racing in my head...

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck shot up instantly and I felt the room drop a good number of degrees down... I turned around instinctively, but I could see nothing. Somehow, though, I could tell there was someone else in that room. Watching me...

"Enjoyed your night out?" A cold, smooth, low feminine voice spoke from the other corner of the room... I turned towards the direction which the voice came from, only to meet a pair of icy blue eyes glowing in the darkest corner of the room, near the bookshelf. "Had I known, I would made up some rules... You've been a bad boy dear childe..." She chuckled a bit at my terrified expression. Her chuckle evolved to light laughter. It chilled my bones...

Before I could retort she wasn't there, but by my side, sitting on the other armchair with the glass already in her hand and her ruby lips curled up into a frightening smile. Her legs crossed.

Vampires tend to do that. A lot. I hated it, especially when she did it to me... But it's fun to do it to others... So much fun...

She was wearing some sort of dress that seemed from the 40's, all in black with a black skirt and a white button-up shirt. She was also sporting a black stone rimmed with gold and silver that looked like some sort of amulet hanging from her neck and a book on her lap. She looked lean under that piece of fabric. Overall she seemed a middle-aged good looking woman, maybe on her mid-thirties, but her stance and her eyes told me otherwise. She seemed ancient... She also had some sort of strange beauty. You could tell she had glamour and grace, but in a creepy way. It was comfortable and unnerving at the same time...

... Pretty in an odd way... Her heart-shaped face, a little gaunt, her blue-ish white skin, her icy blue, slightly narrowed almond eyes, her button nose, those ruby and slightly full lips, and those pointy fangs on her scary smile...

And on top of that, she was very familiar...

Too familiar...

It was her! "_she's the one who did this to me!_" I was about to say some not too pretty things at her when she interrupted me again...

"That I am" She said in the same cold tone , but at the same it sounded a bit bored this time.

I opened and closed my mouth like a fish as to say something, but nothing came out of it. As if I was unable to speak. My mind, though, was racing with thoughts.

"You know... I thought you wouldn't wake up. Perhaps I should have waited a bit more before leaving that cellar... You were asleep quite a long time..." she trailed off in the end of the sentence, staring at my disbelieving expression with interest. Although cold, she seemed a bit amused at my reactions. "...Now that I've found you 'alive', I'm not regretting my loss of vitae... But we'll have to see if you're up to the task, won't we? After all, it isn't wise to judge before knowing..."

I was still gaping like a fish. Her frozen eyes piercing into my green ones. I was angry at her, I wanted to scream, trash and hurt that woman, but I couldn't. For some, at that time, unknown reason I was hypnotized by her inquisitive and sizing gaze.

Then, the eye contact broke. She stood up and walked to the fireplace, extending a finger while reading eagerly the book on her hands. Humming something to herself that sounded like "_Creo Ignem_". She closed the book and pointed his estended finger to the fireplace. It bursted to life inmediately, yellow and red angry flames crackling with fury.

Was that magic?...

Meanwhile, I snapped out of my... Second trance that day?... ...Anyway, I snapped out of it and shouted at her with anger and bitterness. "Who the hell do you think you are!? What the hell are you!? Why did you do this to me!? Answer me! Damn it!"

I was about to get up and hit her with fury.

Big mistake.

In a blink of an eye I found myself pinned to a wall nearly at the other side of the room. She was still where I last seen her, but her arm was extended with her hand forming a clawlike shape. With an invisible force, I felt my insides boil with a strange energy that also was pushing me against the cold surface. My anger quickly left replaced by a primal fear.

And I couldn't speak either.

With her limb still outstretched, she began walking where I was with an angry expression on her face, loosing most of her apparent calmness in a moment. Her eyes were literally glowing a bright icy blue. Oh yes, she was royally pissed. When her face was inches apart from mine, she hissed angrily...

"The question is not who I am, but who are you now, and who do you think you are! I'm your elder and superior, therefore, you'll respect me! But on top of that, I'm your sire! I gave you this new life! I'm your Bloodmother and you'll treat me as such! Learn your place, neophyte!"

After her rant, she released me and seemed to calm down a bit, her presence diminished. I fell onto my knees and coughed, filling my lungs with fresh air.

"Don't bother" She said. "There's no need to breathe... you're dead after all" My eyes widened at the new statement. Not in surprise, I suspected it for a long time, but in the shock of the confirmation of my new situation.

So it was true...

She paced a bit and turned to me again, still in a stern manner. "I will answer all your questions, only if you are respectful to me, Harold..."

"My name is Harr..."

"What did I just say!?" She hissed again, cutting my words "I'll only tell you this a second time and I won't repeat it: Learn your place _Harold_"

"_Let her talk, then ask whatever you want"_ That would be the best option. I wasn't in control of the situation so it would be better if I followed her instructions. I bowed my head in defeat.

"I see you're beginning to understand..." She said, returning to her stern mask. "Surely you'll have lots of questions. You asked some before, not too kindly, but you'll receive your answers. You'll have to learn to listen, understand and judge correctly before assuming that you're not going to receive the answers..."

She helped me up and took me to the couch, where she sat and looked at me as if ordering to do so. So I did. I was still angry and pissed, and I wanted to escape badly, but I needed answers only she could give me, and maybe, just maybe she would be able to help me out.

"I believe an introduction is in order, my childe. I'm Galatée Ouvrard, special agent of the Clan Tremere, Regent in training, Fourth Circle of Mysteries..." She paused a moment and let her gaze meet mine. "...And I'm a Vampire"

She paused. Then looked at me as to analyze my reactions. To tell the truth I was looking like a scaredy cat chocking with a furball. Thoughts and questions were racing in my head about my new condition, What was I exactly? What was my life going to be?

And guess what? She seemed to have all the answers. Even without me asking them...

"...You are now a Vampire too. I turned you. I gave you my blood for you to be able to 'live' forever. I'm your sire and you're my childe... You were chosen to be one of us... O yes, we're not alone Harold, there are more of us. Our bloodline, our bloodbrothers, our Clan, our community, our society. Everything is hidden under a charade, a facade built in times of the Spanish Inquisition called "the Masquerade". That's why almost nobody knows about us or believes us to be a legend... Like your wizard friends... It's necessary for our survival. Although there are some of our Kindred that believe it to be unnecessary, that we, superior to them, should rule them out of the shadows, it's almost a fact that we would be wiped out if mortals learned about our existence..." she made her way closer to the fireplace, with her back facing me, before saying what I wanted to hear; "you can ask..."

I couldn't help it. I had to ask 'THE question'... "Why did you do this to me?" It came out weakly and trembling a bit.

On her lips grew a small smile again, revealing one pointy fang. Then she began to chuckle a bit and the small smile grew into a smirk. Leaning closer to me and caressing my cheek with her strangely warm hand she responded.

"And I thought you were going to ask something more original... Why you say? There's always a reason behind turning someone. At least for the Tremere..." She sat again on the armchair and took a glass from the table. "...You were chosen among others. You were chosen because we think you can serve well to the cause, to the Clan, and to our society. In fact, your embrace has been discussed for quite some years..." Seeing my confused face, she explained. "The embrace is the process to turn someone. Don't worry, everything will be explained to you during your 'education'. And as for the discussion about it, well... you could say that as sorcerers, we have an... 'affinity' towards the wizarding world. We like to observe what happens in it... ...Anyway, as I was saying before, you were chosen because of your affinity to magic. You were powerful when still mortal. Also, your emotional background made you quite a candidate... Orphan, mistreated by mortals... Still, you went through... You've always been a loner, haven't you? "

Temper Potter, Temper...

"Why? I didn't choose this! I don't want this! Who the hell do you vampires think you are? I had things to do! Duties! I had a life! Who gave you the right to decide!?" I screamed with fury at her. I couldn't resist it. The fury was overwhelming...

Bad mistake again, Potter...

Once more, her arm was extended and I felt my insides burning. My blood boil.

"Would you've preferred to die!? It was your foolishness that made me embrace you without, at least, approaching to you once! You were wounded, dying, but on top of that, valuable to us. If you, my _dear childe_, wouldn't have been so stupid to go to that ambush so recklessly, maybe you still would be mortal. Your usual angsty, self-pitying, pathetic human self at least for a couple of years!" She retorted angrily as loud as I spoke to her first. For acting so coolly, she had quite a temper too... Her glass shattered...

"I'm out of here. I don't want anything with you or your lot! I didn't choose this!" I stood up, as to leave, still hurting for whatever she did to me and silently expecting more. That's what Griffindor does to you. Act before thinking...

She didn't move to stop me. Instead, she sighed and turned her back on me.

"And where, pray tell, will you go, Harold? You don't know what it's like for a Caitiff, a clanless vampire... You'll be abused, hunted down. You know nothing about our race. You don't know what you are and you expect to survive? You'll end up acting on instinct, loosing your humanity piece by piece, bite by bite, acting like a beast... That's what happened to your werewolf friend..." With the last sentence I stopped in my tracks. She seemed to notice and continued. "Oh yes, you gave into your instincts because of hunger. You had no control over your inner beast. You hurt someone you cared for... Is that what you want? To be a mindless barbaric beast?"

I was hesitating. For one, I wanted to get out of there, but there was truth in her words...

I clenched my fists tightly... Damn! I hate it when others are right!

"Once embraced, there's no turning back. I do not recommend you a life like that. If you stay as a member of the clan, as one of us, I'll teach you. I'll show you everything about the night, about being one of the Kindred... I'll give you answers..." she continued.

"And if not?" I asked, doubtfully

"Well... If not... Let's say it won't be pleasant for me, nor for you. I'll have to hunt you down, for you are my childe. As I said before, there's nothing lower than living as a Caitiff... Well, maybe being an Assamite or a Tzimisce, but we'll get into that later if you decide to stay..." She turned to me and left her shattered glass on the little table between the armchairs.

I stood, frozen. My mind was having a huge debate, bbut mostly, it was assaulted by memories about what I did to Remus. Was he even alive?

"If you, by any chance, are thinking about your flea infested friend, he is alive. I found the place he was at trying to follow your track. He doesn't remember what you did to him though, I took care of that. You are my child, my responsibility, and I don't want to be punished for your actions... The Masquerade has to be protected..." She began walking to me. I turned. She stopped just at my side, looking to the door while I was looking to the fireplace. "...Just one more thing... If I were you, I would begin forgetting about your mortal friends. It only hurts more when they discover what you are."

With a wave of her hand, the flames in the fireplace extinguished. Walking to the door, she said only one last thing. "I'll leave you to think. I hope your decision will be the right one. I don't want to have to kill another childe..." The last part was said low, as if to herself. She opened the oak doors and went out of the room, leaving me alone in the dark again, in boxers. Damn! I had been in boxers the entire conversation!

I don't know how much Time I spent in the dark of that room. Maybe a couple of hours, standing with my gaze lost in the nothingness.

I thought about everything. About my former life, about what was going to happen to me, about seeing my friends, about my new condition and its implications. Hell, I don't think I had ever thought so much before...

About Hogwarts, the Auror Training program, Moody and Tonks. About professors Dumbledore, McGonnagall, and the rest of the Hogwarts' staff. About the happy moments with Hermione, Ron and Ginny. About the Weasleys. About Sirius, About Remus... ...Also about the suffering... The fame... About the Dursleys, Aunt Marge. About Death Eaters, Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Sverus Snape... About Lord Voldemort...

But more I thought of it, more clearer seemed the answer. I had nowhere to go, nothing left to loose. I was dead after all. The fame, the prophecy, everything was over. Or so I thought. I had a new start. So reclutantly, I made up my mind.

I sat on the couch. Seeing the bottle still on the table, I retrieved my glass from the carpet and filled it again. Waiting for her to arrive, drinking the delicious red liquid to ease the hunger I was beginning to feel. I had to control it. I had to.

After what seemed like an eternity, the big oak doors creaked open again. She entered soundlessly in the room while looking at me.

"Well?" She asked, with a cold stern tone. Again that stone mask in place.

"I... I'll stay" I said sighing with the head down. Putting my glass on the table again. This time, there was no blood left in the bottle.

Her eyes lit up and her ruby shining lips formed a smile. "Good." She said. "tomorrow will be a tiresome night, my childe. Everything will be explained. I recommend you to sleep."

She left the room with me heading to the bed again. Still thinking about the decission I had just made, darkness engulfed me, filling my night with dreams about red, thick, coppery, sweet liquid.

Hmmm... Blood...

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**A/N:** I'm not entirely happy with this chapter but here it is, after a long wait. Hope you liked it. Next chapter, hopefully, will be out shortly, but i can't promise anything. As an anticipation I'll say that some Vampire traits and social pyramids will be explained.

Now push that button below and review. I want to know what do you think.

**Carolina**: Yes. I actually wanted to turn him older, But he had to be in the Auror training Program, a short time after leaving Hogwarts, and as time passes in the story, I need him to encounter some people from his past, not being older than Dumbledore, so I decided to let him be turned mature enough, but still young. As for the Homer Associations... Well, the sub-conscious played that part. I kinda like though... Thank you for reviewing again.

**Kitt: **Thank you. Glad you liked it.

thanks to:

**Black Phoenix of the Shadows, Sythe, Wover30, Ice's Shadow, Mr.X and Tosser.**

Very Special Thanks to **Surfer Tsunamiya** for his help.

Till next time!

**The Mysterious Nobody**


	5. Chapter 4: Welcome to the Jungle

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter™ and all its characters are owned by JK Rowling and Raincoast Books. Vampire the Masquerade™ and all its contents are owned by White Wolf Games' Studio. However, I do Own the OC's from this story.

**A/N**: Ok, so here it is my first attempt at a crossover fic. I always liked the "Vampire Harry" idea, but never found a fic that fully satisfied me so I decided to make my own. I've also begun to play "Vampire: The Masquerade" and I thought the concept of the Vampire world was very interesting, so I decided to combine it with my fic, and Here's the result of the experiment.

Of course, there will be things that for evident reasons will be done my way...

Fourth Chapter out.

**Warning**: Language and explicit violence. Blood.

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**CHAPTER 4: Welcome to the Jungle**

Caine. The first of us. The source. The fountain. Life. Death.

As the Book of Nod , some sort of Bible for us, says, Caine was the first son of Adam and Eve. Vampirism was the punishment he was given by god for killing his own brother, Abel. He was given the curse, or blessing depending on who sees it, from the angels. Condemned by the almighty and his agents Uriel, Samuel, Michael and Gabriel to live eternally, unchanged, without being able to see the sun ever again, as some kind of monster, feeding from the blood of the living.

You could say he "lived" well enough for his condition... I don't really know if your god was really still holding a grudge against Adam and Eve's progeny, because that "punishment", in fact, did cost more to you than to us. It is said that after some time moping around, all angsty and alone, the bastard realized that all was in the blood. That he could "curse" others through the Embrace.

Then he began creating childer to ease his solitude. Some say it's better to drink with a friend, don't they? Of course, what he didn't count on was the Kindred he would produce, would be able to "reproduce" for themselves. So, when it began to happen without control, he got angry, fearing that with every generation we would become less vampire and more human, loosing our distinctive traits. Then, he forbid the Kindred to do it and disappeared to never be seen again.

Well, did they obey him? Of course not! Would you? Do children behave in school when the professor is out of the classroom? I wouldn't be telling you this if they had obeyed the old coot.

If you thought blood based bigotry ended in the wizarding world, you're awfully mistaken. Oh joy! Who would have thought that Vampires were also blood purists of sorts! With us, the foul word isn't "mudblood" but "thinblood", which means that you're scum, far away from the first generation of vampires, the Antedeluvians ( Caine and his cronies). The more closer you are to him, the more respected you are , and the more far you are, you're considered more human than Kindred. Less than a Vampire. Of course, no one would admit it, but that's usually why embraces are so controlled by every prince.

Don't believe for a moment that I will tell you which one is my generation, nor my Sire's. It's extremely rude to ask the Kindred for their generation... Not that would matter much on our clan... But that's a subject for another time...

Some say that Caine is still around, watching us, judging us, waiting for the right moment to return and kick our frozen dead buttocks to oblivion. The religious believe of the "Gehena". But... oh well, that hasn't happened yet.

The point is, that with the expansion of the curse, at some time after Caine left, every bloodline diverged from the other ones and acquired some unique properties, or 'curses', creating the first actual clans. During that time, the Kindred wasn't a group of blood-starved freakish pale loners anymore, but a whole society of blood-starved freakish pale beings.

Then, humanity evolved, as we did with them. New clans and lesser bloodlines emerged, diverging from the original ones. We expanded more and more and our presence was beginning to be noticed. But humans feared us. And for your information, no offence, really, mortals tend to react violently to that they don't understand. Not to say that we sink our fangs on their necks and suck them dry...

Anyway, the thing is, we realized that if things kept going the way they were, we would extinct as a race. With the ascension of Catholicism in Europe, after the Dark Ages, things began to get hairy. In 1184, in the region of Languedoc, France, catholics created a society called the "Inquisition", to wipe the earth from heretic people and dark beings, "servants of Satan." But it didn't end here. In fact, things got worse with the creation in Spain of "La Santa Inquisición" in 1478.

It's damn hard to kill one of us, but they were doing it. In fact, they were decimating us, or that's what is said amongst the older Kindred. So we had to react, do something to avoid extinction. But we weren't a reduced community, easy to conceal, we were a whole society.

Wizards were a good example of what to do, not that we knew at that time... Well, not most of us. If you have to give something to wizards, is that they were smart enough to conceal themselves at the right time, before things got out of hand. So, by the time when they were a large community, they were already hidden and well.

Clans had meetings, discussing what to do. Alliances formed. The Camarilla was created, composed by seven of the most prominent clans of the moment; The Brujah, the Malkavians, the Nosferatu, the Toreador, the Gangrel, the Tremere and the Ventrue. The Camarilla was the answer to the ascension of the Inquisition in Europe, and the Anarch Revolt from other clans.

A plan was made, and the Masquerade was imposed. The Kindred erased almost all evidence of it's existence. During the next centuries, we made you believe that we were only a superstition, a myth. A legend. A blindfold, for your eyes only, so only we could see the whole picture.

We made ourselves invisible, to be, or at least to have the sensation, of being safe at last. Think of it as a disillusionment charm. Or as a chameleon's camouflage.

Oh, but we were still there. The kindred never left.

Ever since then, we have lived amongst you. Amongst every other society. Taking what we could, leaving what wasn't useful to us.

Every night, we are there, in the darkness. Nights are our paradise, we move in them like a fish in the water. Through you... While you're with your friends in nightclubs, we're there, enjoying the meat show. We do our deals, talk and socialize in front of you. In fact, it's almost obscene. In a way it could be considered pornographic. We are exhibitionists with no shame, and yet, you're still so oblivious...

Night is the time we meet, the time we go out, the time we go hunting for blood...

Hmmmm... Blood...

With dreams about warm torrents, seas of thick, tasty blood I spent one of the best and most uneventful days of my life or 'no life'. In a good bed, smooth, soft, comfortable... without dreaming about Voldemort crucio-ing some poor lad who had the bad luck to cross him...

I didn't have to care about the Dark Lord anymore, did I? And that felt damn good. The weight of the wizarding world was apparently off my shoulders. I felt light, giddy and witty. Like a little schoolgirl with a new dress, shoes and a sugar high.

I was free.

That made it one of the best naps I have ever had.

Feeling the soft touch of silk sheets on my bare skin my eyes snapped open. I got up not as roughly as I did the day before, and of course, not near as confused or paranoid. Somehow I felt good. Through the thin curtains of my four poster bed, I could see the moon's eerie white light illuminating the room. It was the same it had been the night before. Wide, dark, creepy, elegant, glamorous and, in a twisted sense, inviting.

Still sitting on the edge of the bed my senses kicked in. Focus came. I was aware of my full surroundings once more, helped by my auror training and my newfound enhanced senses.

My ears picked something up close to the door's room. It was a voice. After a while, it got closer, making it recognizable. It was Galateé. She seemed to be talking. With whom, I had no idea...

"...ourse I will... It shall be done My Lord... ...No, he isn't awake... ...I know the training is important, that's why I'm taking him out to... ...yes... ...of course, gladly... ...If I may ask, why so soon with him?... ...I'm afraid, My Lord, that isn't possible... ...Yes, I know that! But when he's ready!... ...Of course, that wasn't necessary, nor my place to say, forgive me... ...I hope the Prince will have no problems with those decisions... ...of course... ... I respect your authority... ...I understand... ...As you wish..."

She seemed rather distressed. Somehow meek. And for what I could understand, forced to do something. It seemed she was talking to a superior of sorts. Maybe a higher member of the Tremere?

I heard her sigh before entering the room with a loud bang. Mask in place, although signs of being a bit distraught were still on her face, she walked to me with a fast pace, before stopping a few meters from the bed.

"I see you've woken up. Glad to know you're saving me some work." She said almost cheerfully, without abandoning the cold tone though. Maybe a bit of Irony and bitterness too? She seemed upset about something. It wasn't me, but maybe it had to do with that strange phone call. ¿Something about going out tonight? Well, whatever it was, I was going to find out soon...

"yeah... Good morning to you too..." That was my reply. I decided to stay there and learn, yes, but that didn't meant I had to like it. So my voice dripped the same sarcasm as hers.

Instead of making her angry, it amused her. "Morning, Harold? It's half past ten. The sun's been down for hours now..." Of course... Silly me... "Now get up. Things to do, places to go, people to bite..."

She trailed off a bit and began humming a melody under her breath as she started tossing something on the bed... Clothes?

"Are we going somewhere?" I asked carefully after yawning, trying not to sound as if I already knew the answer. She on the other hand seemed to know I heard her talking to someone and gave me an evil smirk.

"As a matter of fact, my childe, yes. We are. If everything goes as planned, tonight you'll learn the basics of being one of us. The clan can't have you roaming around without knowing anything..." Again, straight answer without revealing much. It reminded me a bit of Dumbledore's cryptic speech, and that annoyed me to no end. Why the heck she couldn't give the whole truth? Later I would discover that was all it was about. You can't walk amongst the kindred with the heart on your hand. Remember to have always something to count on, a trump card.

"_Where_ are _we_ going?" She could hear the irritation on my voice and her smirk grew, almost breaking the air of seriousness around her.

"Actually, we will go to several places tonight, Harold. Here and there... I recommend you to get dressed. As I suppose you noticed, I've left you some clothes to wear on the bed. Choose what you think it will fit you best... you don't want to go out in undergarments, do you? I certainly don't want to be seen with a youngling in boxers" The amusement in her voice was now more clear. She was enjoying it.

I was beginning to get annoyed, not just for her superior and slightly mocking attitude, but for what she called me. And I was curious too, so I asked.

"May I ask you something?" It was the first thing that came into my mind. After all, I wanted to be polite. You would want to be too, if you had been under the consequences of being rude to her...

"ask" was her response. Her smug attitude transformed again into a cold, serious mask.

"Why do you keep calling me _Harold_ ?" Why did she do it? Why? Of course it was my name, but nobody called me that. In fact, no one called me that, ever. So why did she?

Amusement returned to her face, but faded as quickly as it came. She turned around and spoke while walking to the little table between the armchairs. " It is your name, isn't it?" ...Well, duh! That wasn't what I was expecting for an answer. After a while, she found whatever was she searching and turned around again. This time facing me.

"Catch!" Was the only word of warning when she tossed something to me. I caught it in midair, finally realizing what it was. It was a newspaper. A muggle newspaper. Apparently, the London Times. I unfolded it, taking a look at the cover. Nothing caught my attention; There was an article about UK's minister freeing Augusto Pinochet, a dictator from Chile, for health reasons, which made me snort, some comment about Indonesia and below, the headline about the match in the Soccer Champions League between Barcelona and Arsenal. Nothing important...

Galateé walked to me again. Looking at me intently, she spoke again. Monotone. "Page 24"

I did as she said, and opened the paper. She extended her arm and pointed a finger at one single little article, in the low corner of the page.

"Read" She ordered. I complied.

"_Local case of disappearance. Harry James Potter, nineteen, ( photo below) has been reported missing after his disappearance four days ago. It is unknown if the young man is still alive, or if this concrete case is part of the increasing disappearances in London. The Police won't reveal any details, but asks for the aid of the population. _

_Details:_

_Date of Birth: July 31th, 1980_

_Place of Birth: (unknown), London_

_Sex: Male_

_Height: 5'9''_

_Weight: 147 pounds_

_Hair: Black_

_Eyes: Green_

_Remarks: Wears round wire-rimmed glasses. Has a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead._

_Individuals with information on this case should take no action themselves, but instead immediately contact the phone number below..._" A long silence followed my reading... It was the time I needed to cope with what I had just read...

"What the...? They've put it in a muggle newspaper?" I asked myself, realising that I accidentally asked it out loud.

Galateé snorted. "Of course they have. Wizards may not like "muggles" as you call them, but they aern't stupid. They know that the chance of finding you is bigger if your disappearance is announced on muggle means too. Think about it, Harold. If there's an article even in the London Times, how do you think it will be like back in your Wizarding World? You're a celebrity, and you are missing. There is surely an uproar, and probably massive campaigns to find you. The thing is, my childe, that The clan doesn't want you to be found, nor do I, so during some time, Harry Potter will be no more. Instead, Harold Evans will take his place. That's why I'm calling you by that name. Don't worry though, you may retake your original name after a century or maybe two..."

So that was why... but a change of name? And a ridiculously simple one at that? And Evans was my mother's maiden name... People had photos and a description, surely they didn't expect me to go unnoticed with that...

"That's it? A change of name? " I blurted out, almost humored by the stupidity of changing just my name to cover my disappearance. As I said before they had photos, a description, and if it wasn't enough, there was the fact that every damn wizard knew my face. I was a goddamn celebrity, for god's sake!

"Can you read to me what's the motto on the first tapestry hanging at the wall on your right?" That was her answer. Asking me to read a motto? What had this to do with my identity? Would the motto be one of those "universal truth" sentences?

"Well... Yes I can. It says "_Arbitrium Vincit Omnia_", it's in latin. What of it?"

She chuckled again, looking straight at me. With an amused demeanor, she rubbed her nose bridge with one hand, while pointing behind me with the other one.

I froze, realizing what she was trying to tell me. My hands shot up to my face and there was nothing on it. I turned just to see, clearly and crystal, that my glasses were still on the bedside table...

"And at last he saw..."She started, still amused. "That's the first step on ne of your disciplines, _Auspex_. As a response, your sight has repaired itself. It comes naturally to us, the Tremere. It has to do with our eyes and the other senses as well. Vampiric perception. On early stages it improves all sensorial capabilities beyond human limits. I know you've been listening to me while I was talking before entering the room... On advanced stages... Well, you'll see... It must have awakened with your first two feedings. You drank a lot last night... I told you that being a Vampire had its advantages."

"Wha..." She cut me again

"You haven't been dreaming about that Dark Lord of yours anymore, have you? Nightmare much?"

"How did you..." And once more in mid sentence...

"That scar of yours. It's fading. Healing. I don't know why exactly, but I can try to give you an answer..." It was true. The last time I felt my scar was the day before the raid. Voldemort had been happy or angry about something. Probably the fact that they were going to ambush us. Since then... nothing. She continued "...I think that it maybe was because your wizarding magic, your 'magical core' as you say, was tied to his. Through the embrace, you lost your magic, freeing you from the connection. If the link between you two hadn't maintained the wound open all the time, the scar would've remained. But the wound was split open the moment I fed you with my vitae, so it healed." It made sense, and it wasn't too far fetched. It could be...

"Are you saying that without my glasses, scar and with a 'new' name, I won't be recognized?" I asked carefully. Still not convinced.

"Not at all. I'm saying that without your glasses, your scar, with your newly pale and slightly gaunt look, and a new image you won't be recognized by those who know you. Now get yourself cleaned and dressed. I've also left you a couple of books and scrolls about the Kindred I want you to read. They contain the basics. You have until midnight. Then we will leave"

With that, she walked to the door. Before leaving, she glanced at me again and said " And do something with that hair of yours". After her rant Galateé exited the room, closing the door again with a loud "bang".

I sighed, rubbing one hand against my now smooth forehead. Not that I would miss that blasted curse scar much, but still... It had been a part of me all my life, part of who I had been... If my connection with Voldemort was really cut, then Harry James Potter was truly dead...

Still thinking about the implications of leaving my identity, my true self, behind, I proceeded searching amongst the clothes Galateé had left me for something suitable. It was best not to anger her. Besides, technically she was some kind of family, wasn't she? Some sort of mother... At least, that wa what I would have liked... Once I picked the clothes to wear, I turned around to take a loot at something I had noticed earlier that day, but not the night before... It was a door, in the other side of the room, smaller than the main one. It was a beautifully carved mahogany door, covering the entrance to a small but rich bathroom. Heading to take a bath I noticed that some books were missing in the bookshelf. As she promised, they were resting on the little table between those armchairs, in front of the fireplace.

After a quick shower, and a hard time flattening my hair, taming it slicking it back, I dressed myself. Nothing too bright, and a bit conservative. A black suit with a black button-up shirt and a white tie. Black leather shoes too. I never had liked bright colors, and after wearing Dudley's hand-me-downs for years, I had taken a liking for formal and slightly elegant clothes. That's why I always wore robes once graduated from Hogwarts.

Well, it was true... Nobody would recognize me... But I felt like a black-haired Malfoy... And believe me when I say that's not the best thing to feel in the world...

Sighing, and a bit gloomy after remembering for a moment that my 'friends' would still be searching for me, I made my way to the comfortable armchairs in front of the fireplace. I sat on the first one, taking a book from the pile at my right.

Time passed quickly without me realizing. I had been absorbed by the lecture. One would have thought that reading history would have been extremely boring, I did, but after beginning to read about the Kindred's history I was captivated by the text. I learned pretty much about the clans, the Kindred, vampire capabilities, powers, traditions and inter-clan politics. Not too deeply, of course, that would come later with Galateé's learning and field-experience. For a moment I thought I would grow buckteeth and bushy hair.

My trip to "book-world" was interrupted by, again, a door opening with a loud bang. Now she reminded me of Snape in his early years. I almost hoped to see him enter the room talking about how he wouldn't tolerate 'foolish wand-waving' in his classroom. Almost, because... well... He wasn't a pleasant sight... My thoughts about seeing a bat with greasy hair entering the room faded when Galateé crossed the door frame with fast small steps. Her outfit changed as well. Now she was sporting a dark blue, almost black, velvet business suit with a fitted white blouse. Sleek straight hair cascading down to her shoulders. Here eyes hidden by tinted sunglasses. The only thing that remained of her attire from hours ago was her ever-present necklace, that black stone.

She arched an elegant eyebrow and scrutinized my new look. "Are you ready?"

I nodded getting up, after leaving the dusty book I was reading on the pile. Walking to the door. I opened it for my sire, which seemed to divert her. We began walking quite fast through the corridors of the manor. Every one of them had a similar look that the one from the room where I was resting. As I said before, dark, creepy, elegant and glamorous. There were several doors, leading to other rooms, but I didn't have time to look at them, for she was going very very quickly. In a moment we arrived at what I supposed it was the entrance hall, big and wide, with a large central staircase. On the dark walls there were hanging more old portraits. Some tapestries too. For a moment I was reminded of Hogwarts. In fact, it was very similar. Just smaller, much smaller, darker, and this one sent shivers down your spine...

We left the manor without a second thought, after picking up a car from the garage. The ride was uneventful, and when I asked where were we going, the only answer I got was a chuckle and "London". She parked the car in a dark alley, on the back of a crowded street. I couldn't tell exactly where we were because I didn't know London at night. Everything was filled with lights and people, distorting the confusing layout...

"We walk now. Follow me" was the short instruction from Galateé. I didn't really know what happened, but she changed completely from the manor. If before she had a Cold air around her, now she was a frozen ice shard. "_Sheesh, what's with the attitude..._"

The air was cold, the alleys were damp, slippery, and had a few puddles here and there. It was also a bit dirty, but nothing too serious. "What are we doing here?" I asked.

"Shhhhhht" She pointed her finger to a couple walking twenty meters ahead from us. "Now listen closely. You will have to learn how to feed. As I told you before, I can't have you around in frenzy. You have to control yourself and drink properly..." Oh no, she wouldn't mean..." ...You see them? They are the perfect prey. One for me, one for you. We will walk to them normally. No nerves, no evidences of our nature. Once near them, you will know what to do..." The final part of the sentence was said showing a fang thanks to her sardonic smile. She put a hand on my shoulder just before starting to walk "One thing though. Do not kill them. You don't want it to happen. It's troublesome, almost a violation of the Masquerade, and it will cost you your humanity, not helping to control 'the beast'"

So we proceeded. As she said we would, we walked to them. Slowly. Almost savoring the last moment before the meal. Hearing their blood circulating through their veins, the heart pumping the rich liquid. Seeing the throbbing of the jugular vein, I could almost taste their life essence. My mouth was already salivating.

"Wha..." and "Hey!" were the only things they could say before we sank our fangs on their necks as fast as a lightning. Once the skin was perforated, I could feel the warm elixir filling my mouth. My tongue darted from side to side of my mouth, as to get as much it could of the coppery taste. Mouthful after mouthful, I went swallowing as much as I could until I felt the pulse of my victim weakening a little. It was time to stop as I had been instructed to do... But it was so good... The pulse was still going down, and if I didn't stop, the poor lad would die for sure... With all my will, in the end, I did it. I withdrew my fangs from his neck. Purring like a cat, I licked the last drops before the wound ceased to bleed.

It was the best feeling ever. I felt full, complete and powerful. I could climb the highest mountain, I could fly, I could rule the world if I wanted it. Like a massive rush of adrenaline. I tilted my head to see what Galateé was doing. She had also finished with her meal. Actually, she finished before me, and was now looking at me intently.

"You did good... But almost lost it. Make sure it won't happen again" A dry compliment. That was all I was going to get. Truth be told I didn't expect nothing more, nothing less... Well, maybe a few pats on the back? "Don't worry, you'll have more chances to catch a bite"

I glanced at the mortals who served as a meal for us. They had a glassy look on their eyes, as if they were in some sort of trance. It reminded me strongly of the look on a person who had just been oblivated... Staring in the distance...

"What happened to them?" I asked, still in a bit of a daze due to the recent meal.

"It always happens like this. They will snap out of it soon, so I would recommend to get out of here. We are already late..."

We began walking again in the opposite direction, same back alleys we had followed to get where we were. Instead of entering the car, we turned the corner and stepped inside another alley. I couldn't tell thee differences between this one and the other ones. There were graffiti on the walls decorating the still damp side street. I followed my sire in complete silence. In complete silence, that is, unless she asked...

"Have you read the texts I left in your room as I said?"

"Most of them. I actually found some interesting information" I replied with the truth. In response she nodded and gave me a small smile, revealing one pointy white fang.

Then, she began speaking... "Now listen. We are from the clan Tremere, and as members of that bloodline, there are some things you should or shouldn't do. For starters, I'll have to teach you some manners, but if you pay attention on what I'm trying to say, you'll be good for now. In the house, you may call me by my name, but always with respect, but outside home, and while you are under my thumb, you will show me a greater deal of respect. We have a reputation to uphold. You will refer to me as 'my sire' or 'Lady'. Never call me 'master' though that's for ghouls. In front of other Kindred, and specially in front of other Tremere, in my presence, you won't speak unless I signal or order you to do so and you will ask for permission if you have to ask something. Finally, you will always respect your elders, even more than me. Do I make myself clear?

I nodded. Unsure if it would be wise to say something, or shot back a sarcastic retort like "yes bwana".

"Good"

We kept walking straight until we arrived at what it seemed an entrance to an old factory's basement. Galateé stopped a moment before pressing an almost invisible button on the slippery surface of the wall. She turned to me.

"Now if you know the inter-clan politics, I'll fill you a bit in once we're inside. You'll see many things in there. Just be sure to follow me closely." Her words made me a bit uneasy. Whatever we were heading into, it wouldn't be pretty. Would it?

A creaking noise came from the little entrance, heavy metal doors opening. A couple of horribly disfigured bouncers, if you could call them that, were the sight that met us before stepping inside. The doors closed just after we entered, and the two disfigured creatures made their way to us. "_They surely could use some make up.._"

I flinched a bit when one of them began searching and registering me. It passed quickly though. Galateé was scrutinizing my reaction to what I supposed were another kind of Kindred. Once they were finished we began walking through a long corridor, until we reached an elevator. She stepped inside first, followed by me.

I don't really know how many floors went down, but it was a pretty long fall. The metal doors opened again only to meet another corridor. This time though, a very familiar smell met my vampire-enhanced nostrils. The smell of alcohol, smoke and blood...

Hmmm... Blood...

We kept walking. As we walked we felt a vibration which increased with every step we took. When we reached the rusty metal door on the other side, there was no vibration, but a booming noise. My sire glanced at me before opening the last door to reveal an entirely different world.

The place was crowded, There were bodies everywhere, dancing and grinding against each other. It was huge, and breathteakingly disturbing. There were also a few cages hanging, people from everywhere. Kindred from everywhere. Female, male... It didn't seem to matter to most of those who were part of the party. Sexual teasings, hot dances, meetings, conversations, decisions, drinking, feeding, biting, pain, elation, satisfaction, anger, happiness ... everything was taking place inside that 'club'. Chains were hanging from the ceiling, smoke making it's way up. Red light surrounding us, music penetrating our skulls.

I almost lost my Sire between the crowd, but thankfully, as we kept walking, they kept opening like the Red Sea did for Moses. Their sizing gaze was making me feel nervous. There were gleeful, hungry, hateful, indifferent, disgusted and approving looks from everyone around us. It was an organized chaos, and everyone in there seemed to like it.

We came to a stop when we reached the bar. Galateé turned to me and spoke. I could hear her even with the loud music.

"This is a neutral ground. Everything you learned about inter-clan struggles doesn't count here. Very few would dare to try to do something brash in this place, maybe they would regret it.!"

"Why? Is it like if they would forget their allegiances in here?" I asked, raising my voice. Why there were struggles, then, if they could leave them out of their minds in places like this?...

"It's not that easy! Everyone here remembers their purpose. They simply don't fulfill it. You will see that there are rival clans sharing ground, but very few will relate to their counterparts. This place belongs to Marco della Passaglia, he's a very ancient and powerful Giovanni. The Giovanni are an independent italian clan, my childe. Starting a fight here would mean death. The place is also guarded by the Putanesca family, a sicilian branch of the Giovanni that puts the Brujah's brutality to shame"

I looked around and indeed, there were a few thugs on every entrance. They were very intimidating ...

She continued " See the pretty woman over there with the red lace dress?" I nodded. She was very pretty indeed "She's _Valeria Aguilar_, one of the oldest Toreadors around here. From the clan of the rose. Pretty boys and beautiful girls, they feed more from gossip and hedonism than blood. As you can see she isn't protected, she doesn't need it in here. Now take a look at that one..." she said, pointing at the croud "...the tall one dancing with the pretty boys... That one's name is _Lucien Vondrack_. He's an _Ancillae_, a Vampire who's a few centuries old. He is also the Prince's last childe. A Ventrue. As you can see, he likes them young... Be careful around him, he's sneaky... The ugly one in stained clothing, talking with the barman is Bryon Borges. He's a Nosferatu informer. He's probably giving Marco's men a few news about what's happened the last few days that would require their interest. They probably know about you by now..."

"What!?" What? They knew about me? But of course they knew... Nobody escapes the clutches of those defaced bastards...

She laughed at my reaction "Don't look so surprised. The Nosferatu know everything... And finally, the 'evil' ones. See the couple in the dark corner over there?..." I nodded again, looking at the direction she pointed me. There were two elegant Vampires, but they didn't seem too dangerous... "...Those are Lasombra. Part of the Sabbat. They are sadists, and want to expose us. To destroy the Masquerade. I think they're some sort of 'diplomats' if you could call a Lasombra a 'diplomat'. Don't approach any of them unless extremely necessary, and just if they are tied and in mortal danger, preferably caused by you..." The last part was a warning. Some time after that conversation, I would find why she kept warning me about the Sabbat.

"What is this place anyway?" I had to ask it. Was it a club? A chantry?

She smirked at me.

"This, young Harold, is the 'Eden'"

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**A/N:** Holy shit! That's twelve pages worth of text. The longest chapter so far. It actually would have been longer, But it was too much, so I decided to cut it here. Sorry for the delay. I know I said that this would be out in a week, but I had a huge workload, and if I remember correctly, I also said that I wasn't making any promises. Anyway, the next chapter will be out as soon as I can finish it. Keep in tune.

Now press the grey button below and leave a review. I know you want it...

**Review Answers:**

**Surfer Tsunamiya**: Thanks jeje. Don't worry, the Sabbat is coming soon... Don't worry, I'm glad to see you could make it. Thank you again. If I need something concerning the story, I'll let you know

**Ice's Shadow**: Hope to haven't got you waiting too long...

**Kalistar**: Thank you. Yes, now I'm just sticking with Vampire, but in the near future, I'll probably introduce something about the Order of Hermes ( but in the Wizarding World, it will be a bit OOC) and something about Werewolf concerning Remus.

**I-Love-Moony**: Thank you. I appreciate it.

**Barranca: **Yes, everyone says the same thing. But what can I say? I'm a huge Simpsons fan, and I suppose it affected me XD Damn subconscious!

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Thanks to all those who reviewed my story! 

REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!

**The Mysterious Nobody**


	6. Chapter 5: Stranger in Paradise

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter™ and all its characters are owned by JK Rowling and Raincoast Books. Vampire the Masquerade™ and all its contents are owned by White Wolf Games' Studio. However, I do Own the OC's from this story.

**A/N**: Sorry about the long wait. But the chapter is finally here. I hope you'll like ir. Remember; **READ & REVIEW!**

**Warning**: Language and explicit violence. Blood.

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CHAPTER 5: Stranger in Paradise 

Trust is an important thing. Or so I had been told countless times before I met the no-life. Friends could be trusted, comrades could be trusted, family could be trusted...

Indeed...

You see, trust is an amazing concept. It is one of those things, that separates sentient, intelligent beings from beasts, animals and creatures. An abstract concept, born from a sentient brain. It is an invention of our minds, an illusion; animals don't need trust. Just need instinct. They do what they have to do to survive, without thinking about trust. Even in a community, a pack, there's no need of such thing. Every individual does what he has to do to ensure the survival of the species. Without question. Without trust. They just survive. And yet, for those with a superior brain it seems to be the base of any relationship, of every move. Everything is based on trust. You trust your family, because they are family. You trust your friends, because if you didn't trust them, and they didn't trust you, they wouldn't be your friends. You trust, or pretend to trust, your leaders. You trust your society to work properly. You trust your doctor to heal you, your postman to give you your mail, your lawyer to defend you, the police to protect you...

Trust is also the root for expectations. When you're trusted to do something. You hold the trust of another who expects you to do that something, task or favor. And believe me when I say it is a very heavy load to carry. Especially if you hold the trust, not of one person, but thousands. Of a whole world. It can be quite stressing.

But what happens when trust is broken? The most curious thing of all the concept, is that trust is, perhaps, the most solid, but delicate at the same time, thing in the world. Almost like glass. Or better like bone; When it breaks, when someone betrays your trust, anyone, it shatters into millions of pieces. You feel bad, and become moody and paranoid in a sense. Then it takes an awfully long time to heal. And once it's fine, you have to learn to trust again, dreading to feel betrayed another time.

Now, imagine that after a difficult upbringing, you, in your childish naivety, finally learned to trust. What if then trust was suddenly taken from you? What would happen, then, if you, who had become so dependent, so trusting, couldn't trust anybody? What if your friends, family and comrades turned their backs on you? Or they didn't know you anymore? What if you couldn't count on anyone?

Trust me in this: Learning not to trust is far more difficult than learning to do it. To count on yourself, to be independent. And what's worse, to act. To make the others believe that you trust them without a single thought, when in truth, you would send them to piss themselves off...

Because in a world of betrayal, in a world where the word of others means nothing to you, but yours has to mean it to others, a world where the quill is literally deadlier than the sword, trust means both nothing and everything.

And that's a lesson you have to learn by yourself... ¿Could you trust anyone to teach it to you?...

'In God we Trust'...

...Do we?

"_What is this place anyway?" I had to ask it. Was it a club? A chantry? _

_She smirked at me._

"_This, young Harold, is the 'Eden'"_

With my mind still processing the information I had received from my sire, lost in the red world of blood, alcohol and debauchery that was the Eden, betrayal and trust were the last things I was aware of.

'The Eden' was a nice name for the pseudo club we were currently in. Any Kindred would have thought it was a blessing to our race. A place where all Vampires in the world, with exceptions of course, could come and enjoy some entertainment without having to hide their true nature. There weren't any clan fights, nor silly banters and struggles for anything. In the worst situation, just glares and insults. Red, tasty blood from the best specimens, carefully selected, running around and 'wonderful' people to share it with. Lovely music for the Sons of the Night to dance, tables to meet others like you, to form alliances, to declare war. Hell on earth for you, dark paradise underground for the Pitiful Wretches of Eternal Hell.

A soft hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my mind. I turned to meet Galateé's blue eyes. "I have to meet with someone and ask for an audience with Marco. We have to talk to him... Would you mind to wait here for a bit?"

Her hint of sarcasm was really annoying at the moment... As if I couldn't take care of myself... "I think I'm fully capable of staying here alone for a few minutes..."

She smirked at me and turned while muttering something that was almost lost in the jungle of bodies and sounds ahead. It arrived to my ears as a muffled version of something like "We'll see..."

"We'll See..." I repeated, thinking out loud, with a short sigh. I turned again to the bar and called the barman to come. Clearly of latin features, probably from an Italian origin, he was a thin, tall man with curly black hair and a strong jaw. He had a pair of big bulging eyes that seemed to glow red with the light from the dance floor and over him in the bar, and a crooked nose that gave him a madman's face. I wasn't startled though. After seeing a Nosferatu and a Tzimisce, you can say you're pretty much cured about having a scare at someone's ugly or fearsome features. That didn't mean I wasn't nervous though. Heck, despite my bluffing in response at Galateé's antics, I was alone in a place I didn't know a thing about, surrounded by fanged strangers, some of them scrutinizing me with their inquisitive looks, others watching me hungrily... The only look that was indifferent at me was the Barman's one, who was waiting with an annoyed sneer for my order. I shook my head a bit and asked for some 'quality drink'.

A few minutes after, I was holding a cold glass filled with a combination of an old wine and blood from a virgin. Or so that was what the barman said. Well, for what it cost, it had to be good... And I have to admit that in the end, it had been pretty good. The wine added a slightly sweet and tangy smack to the coppery liquid, intensifying the flavor and adding some fruit essences. After a few sips I decided that I liked the combination...

Hmmmmm... Blood...

Sipping at my drink, filling my mouth with the sweet blend of flavours, I turned to look at the party in front of me;

The music was still on at full volume, making everybody's bodies to vibrate with the sound and go along with the rhythm in a never-ending dance. Sweaty corpses dancing, hips moving, making contact, chests brushing against backs, arms tangling themselves with other body-parts, feeling them... The hypnotic booming of the bass was inside my skull magically inducing a trance. I couldn't take my eyes from the hot multitude, fascinated by the big mass of vampires that looked almost like a single, living, breathing being, rather than a multitude of blood-suckers in a state of hot, sweated daze. However, I was a little aware of my surroundings, and while looking at the crowd I caught a small glimpse of every group detached from the mass of sweating, dancing bodies.

That is, until my eyes fell on the group formed by the Prince's Childe, that Lucien Vondrak and the pretty boys. What caught my attention, wasn't the scene they were in, nor the physical contact between them, or their rather obscene behavior. I didn't care about all that. What caught my attention, was the look the guy gave me. It sent chills down my spine. It was terrifying. Once he saw me, leaning on the bar, he froze, as if somehow recognizing me and sent me one of the most frightening and unnerving glares I've ever seen. His eyes seemed to burn holes through me, golden orbs glowing in the middle of the small crowd. After what seemed an eternity, he still hadn't put his eyes away, and brought his mouth into a sneer, before baring his large glowing white fangs at me. I almost could hear the hissing from my place in the bar.

Really unnerved from the experience, I tried to ignore what I had just seen. I let my eyes move to another place, while my brain was still searching for a reason for that glare full of rage and hatred. It wasn't normal, and for what Galateé told me, it wasn't a clan thing; he was a Ventrue, after all, and their clan were strong allies in the Camarilla... But looking around I found that almost all the Ventrue in the place seemed to look at me in a disgusted manner. Not all of them reacted as badly as the first one, but there weren't any friendly faces either.

Something was off...

Other kindred who had seen me just seemed indifferent; some slightly angered or happy for some reason I didn't know about.

The red lights flickered, and the smoke covered my view of the dance floor, erasing for a moment all the looks I was receiving. My eyes darted to the side opposite where the Ventrue were hanging around, to where my sire warned me about the Sabbat. A cloud of thick mist from the smoke machines was obscuring my sight, but I could clearly see, or I thought I could clearly see, two silhouettes talking. The smoke before my eyes was vanishing slowly, almost in slow-motion, going up and dancing with the music that flooded the place.

When the mist was finally gone my eyes went a bit wide at the sight. I was startled that there only was one vampire, where a moment before there were two. The 'girl' was gone, vanished. Only the guy remained, clad in a tuxedo. He noticed me, smirked, and after a few moments of confusion for my part, he waved a little. "_what in the bloody hell is going on here? What in Merlin's name was that wave?"_. Then, he calmly brought the glass he was holding to his mouth while gazing at me, drank a bit and drifted his eyes away to the dancing crowd.

Ok, the situation was getting weirder by moments... I couldn't help but wonder when the hell was Galateé coming. This was too much for me to handle in one single night. Not to mention my first night out as a children of the night...

A soft, almost inaudible whisper behind me, which I couldn't identify, not even the voice, much less the meaning, and the feeling of breath over my shoulder, snapped me out of my thoughts making me turn around to see who was behind me. I spun as fast as I could, a bit startled by the sensation, but there was no one there. I glanced at the barman, who was away arguing with another kindred who seemed unsatisfied with his drink. The two were furiously engrossed in a shouting match, or so it seemed.

I was alone in a ten-meter radius, only in the company of my loyal glass filled with red liquid. It wouldn't betray me or disappoint me, that's for sure... So I was alone again... Alone with my thoughts that is... Was I?...

When I spun again to grab a hold of my drink and continue looking around for a nice view or something to entertain me until my Sire arrived, something to forget the disturbing glares of other Kindred, I met two big grey eyes flickered with gold, on a smirking thin face. I jumped back and my glass fell, spilling the delicious mix on the ground.Mentally, I groaned at the waste of my drink, but it passed quickly.

The kindred in front of me let out a sinister but musical laugh. I tilted my head up to see who was 'confronting' me. She was a thin woman who had a familiar air around her. She seemed to be in her thirties, but probably was near her two or three hundreds. Her petite figure and her grimly thin body were covered by an elegant black silk dress. Her face was very gaunt, but had a reminiscence of beautiful features in it, with high cheekbones, full lips and thin eyebrows. The hair was wavy and of a familiar shade of brown with blonde highlights, and her face reminded me about someone I had met. I just couldn't place it... Overall she seemed pretty normal and had an aristocratic air about her, but looks can be deceiving. Her eyes had something not quite right about them. Those sparkling grey orbs had the look of mischief and evil behind the pupils. The same evil I had seen during the raids on my auror training...

My own green eyes focused on her smirking face to wide later in recognition. In a moment I found myself wishing for Galateé to return from wherever she was. _"Crap! I have to go somewhere. I didn't even see her come!"_. Oh yes... Crap indeed... for in front of me was one of the Lasombra 'diplomats'. The one who had just disappeared leaving the other alone in their table. I knew that she could do nothing in the Eden, otherwise she would be anihilated by those 'spaghetti' bouncers, but being alone for the first time in front of one of the representatives of the ruler clan of the Sabbat, being just a 'newborn' , so to speak, made me very uneasy.

However, I couldn't escape, and the now more evident glares from the Ventrue side of the club weren't helping either.

"Hello, Harry Potter... Fancy seeing the Boy Who Lived in here... such a place of evil, blood and other forms of depravation and debauchery" My eyes nearly fell out of their sockets at her introduction. Vampires like theater too much. We like to act... No, I was not surprised in the slightest... At least not at the fancy crap she used for introduction, but at the fact that she somehow knew who I was, or who I had been before my embrace...

I tried to stay calm, focused. After a few tries, I managed a straight answer, doing my best at not looking scared or nervous...

"Y-You know me?" I asked with the best 'mask' of indifference I could produce, failing miserably to hide my nervousness.

I've never been good acting... never known how to lie... or so they say...

"Who doesn't? Well, at least who in the magical world doesn't?" She stated, as if it was rather obvious. Well... It was, but I didn't know her, at least not in person... Had she read about me? had she been a witch? A squib? Part of the Wizarding World?...

"You were a Witch then?" I asked a bit lamely the obvious question. My first impression of her and her clan was changing in my mind, but I wasn't too sure if it would be good to assume she wasn't there with 'troublesome intentions'. It could be all an acting... And for what I had read from the books in Galateé's manor and my Sire's warnings, the Lasombra were masters in the art of deceiving, acting and hiding their cruel natures...

"Ahhh, yes... Some still call me that when they want to offend me, but I know what you're asking...' She purred a bit in the end, beginning a soft, muffled chuckle. Then she continued. '... Yes... I was a wand waver before my '_renaissance_', a 'witch' as you put it... Sometimes I miss being able to hold a wand, to feel the warmth of my magic flowing through me... Sad memories come to haunt me when I'm on a trip in Knockturn alley... When I'm... How could I say it... ... Oh yes! 'splinching' a wizard in the darkest of the streets... When I see the terror haunting them in their eyes, when they feel helpless before they meet their end... Even the darkest of the wizards is afraid of the true darkness and the power it wields. The beauty of those moments makes me miss the power of their magic... Wizarding blood tastes so good... Has so much power in it... much better than the one of those filthy mortals outside..."

I shuddered a bit at the 'splinching' comment, and at the normalcy of her voice when saying it... As if it was the most normal thing in the world. Then came to my mind that she evaded my previous question. She knew of me somehow, and I wanted to know how in the seven hells she recognized me with the change of outfit and appearance. Even I had problems recognizing myself in the mirror...

"But _how_ do you know me? I'm not supposed to be Harry Potter around here, and then, there's the 'physical' change.." Why shouldn't I ask? I was intrigued...

And she laughed a sinister laugh which turned into a sinister giggle. I was even more terrified than before. Hell no, at that point I was already scared shitless... She brought her hand to cover her mouth and answered once she calmed a bit...

"You're not supposed to be yourself?... That's rich... Ah... Well, you Tremere aren't the only ones watching the wizarding world. Of course, the wonderful news of your embrace, and what happened after it, spread faster than fire amongst the younger 'magical' kindred... But you could say that I have my special reasons for knowing you... In fact I've been watching you for years... Soooo noble, without anything in reward... ...I even pitied you... Have you ever dreamed of getting some revenge? Suck those who wronged you dry? Kill them after a long, painful torture? I've seen your suffering, your impotence before those who treated you like filthy rubbish..."

Everything was making less and less sense in that conversation... Wonderful News of my embrace? A Lasombra being happy about the embrace of a Tremere? And how the hell did she know about what happened during and after the embrace? Or what she believed she knew? "_My suffering? What in Merlin's name was that?_" But the thing that struck me more was the mention of "special reasons"... What the heck did she mean with "special reasons"?

"What are you talking about? What Special reasons?"

"Indeed... I was so disappointed when I found out that the Tremere, and Galateé Ouvrard had gotten to you first... ...But then you did _that_ with your sire. Who would had thought that a Tremere, after the anihilation ritual of the rebels, would have done that... And with that Ouvrard lapdog non the less... I was so happy... I even asked my partner to try to find you two and take you to our house, that you deserved it... ...But in the end I only managed to be able to approach and talk to you..."

" But what are those special reasons you're babbling about? Who are you!?" I was shouting. A few other vampires cocked their heads towards us and looked at me curiously... All that misterious talk was a nonsense! What did Galateé and I do, aside from following the clan's will? Was she trying to trick me?

And she laughed again. She was enjoying it...

"Well, the blood of my family, my wizarding family that is, tended to create powerful wizards... And you are descendant of that blood along with another powerful line. You're family after all, and when you defeated the Dark Lord, I couldn't help but wonder if you wold make a good respectable member of our... 'community'... I may be a Kindred, and a disowned member of the family, but the embrace gave me a much nicer view about blood relationships, and you are blood... part of my blood... part of me..."

I froze and fell speechless for a few moments... Family?... She couldn't be family! There I had no relatives living aside from Petunia and Dudley... Though, technically, she wasn't alive...

"F-family? Y-You're a Potter!?"

She laughed at my reaction, but seemed also satisfied. She had obtained what she was looking for... My interest and attention.

"No, not at all. I think I should introduce myself... My name is Isla Black, and your grandmother, Dorea Black, or should I say Potter, was my grandniece... That would make me your great, great, great aunt...' She smirked... 'Your magic prowess and the fact that you are part of my mortal blood are those 'special reasons'... I'm so proud of you... Your actions after your embrace spoke highly of you. Worthy of being one of us..."

"Y-you talk about f-family... But you have c-closer relatives than me in the Wizarding World... W-why me? Why is it that everybody wants me for one thing or another?"

"Under that shy coward mask you sure are an egocentric brat... I know that there are some filthy mortals closer in blood to me than you are... It doesn't matter though... when the time comes you'll understand why it's all about you..."

I couldn't move or ask my body parts to react. I was pretty stunned by the revelation and her answer to my question after it. Before I could bring myself out of stupor, she turned around. Her companion was waving at her. She looked at me, with a slight look of disappointment, I don't know if towards me or at the fact that se couldn't talk more... It faded pretty quickly though. She, then, leaned over me and kissed me on the cheek, before whispering in my ear _"I have lo leave. If you ever need help, come looking for me in the 'Shadowlake', after what you did, you'll be received well..."_

She caressed my cheek softly, almost showing care, with the palm of her dead, freezing hand and disappeared in a mass of shadows, reappearing again at her companion's side. They both looked at me with a couple of malicious smirks plastered on their faces before vanishing in the dancing mass of people...

I stood there, stunned. Looking at the table they had been a moment ago. While my body was paralyzed, my brain was functioning non-stop. Thoughts raced in my mind about the meaning of discovering a living, though distant, relative. A relative who was part of the fiercest enemy of the Camarilla... It had to be a trick, it couldn't be true... It was so... so... so unlikely to happen... Something wasn't right.

Then, there were also her comments about something that Galateé and I supposedly did. Something that she liked. That their clan liked... It wasn't possible. My sire and I, for what I knew, had been all the time in the manor... At least I had been all the time in the manor, except for the first two days... I had been almost n frenzy... I could have been... No, it couldn't be... After the incident with Remus, Galateé said that she had taken care of everything...

Maybe it was Galateé who had caused this...

I don't really know how much time I spent looking at that table, but I wasn't really there. I had been 'gone' far away for quite some time. I couldn't hear the music. I couldn't see the people dancing. There were too many things in my head, too much to handle.

When I had been embraced, and told of my new situation, I wanted nothing more to return to the world I had just left. But after thinking about it I decided to start anew and accept my newly acquired dark nature, forgetting about wizards and witches, but it was of no use. Everything 'magical'seems to come to haunt me. I wanted to forget about my comrades, my peers in that world, but I couldn't leave the Wizarding World behind. Every time I tried, it returned again and again... And that was only the first time of too many to count...

I was brought out of the debate in my mind by a hand grabbing my shoulder and shaking it strongly. _"...ar me? What's got_ten into you? Are you alright?"

All my senses came again at the same time, almost overwhelming me. I blinked once, twice. My vision blurred for a moment and then focused again, to see my Sire staring at me strangely. She seemed almost worried, but kept her face blank.

"Are you allright? Something the matter? I called you almost five times before you reacted. Has something happened?" She asked again, a hint of annoyance with a flicker of concern in her voice.

I thought about what I was going to tell her. The truth? Did I really want her to know about 'Isla Black'? About how I had been approached by the Lasombra? About what we had been talking while she wasn't here? About their strange behavior? Did I really trust her? Could I really trust her?...

"Eh... No... I was just thinking..."

I've never been good at acting. Never been good lying...

She looked at me raising an eyebrow. "Right..." A few wrinkles appeared on her forehead, when she frowned a bit. "And you were thinking about...?"

"I just... I just thought I caught some... people looking funny at me..." I lied again. Well, I told her a half truth. It was true that there were people looking at me, at us, funny, even glaring at us, but I avoided the part in which I talked to a Lasombra who revealed to be some sort of relative and offered her help if needed for apparently no reason... Before telling her the full truth, I had to figure it out for myself. See what was going on...

At my answer she frowned and, rubbing her chin, let out a sigh and muttered something that sounded like "me too" under her breath.

Her gaze flew up to meet mine. She looked straight to me. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, she blinked and continued talking. "Well, we have an audition with Marco. I thought we were going to have to wait a bit more, but it seems that he was eager to see us for some reason. He's been a huge help in the past, providing protection and information to us but I really don't trust him. Once in there watch your back and remember the rules we discussed before entering the Eden..."

We began to walk to the east wall, were two thugs were guarding a door.

"It shall be done, my Sire..." I muttered with lots of venom and sarcasm behind. I was very annoyed... Besides, as I said before, acting has never been my thing... She just turned around and glared daggers at me to retake her pace and walk again.

Once we reached the metal door, my Sire muttered something in italian that I couldn't understand. One of the bouncers nodded and opened the door for us. The door closed with a loud 'bang' just after we crossed the wide, rusty door frame and the music stopped suddenly. Again we found ourselves in some sort of corridor. The difference was that this one had multiple doors at each side and was longer than the one we had used to access the club. It was still humid, probably due to the situation of the construction, underground and probably near the sewers, but not as much as the other one, and seemed more inviting too. As we passed through, some doors creaked open and a few heads popped out from them to see what was going on. I don't know what was happening behind those doors but I'm sure it wasn't anything pretty. Still, I had to stifle a laugh after being reminded of the beheaded house elves in Grimmauld Place. Galateé was walking through the corridor rather fast, without looking at anything but her front and without stopping, not even for a moment. I actually had a hard time following her.

We kept walking and walking. The corridor never seemed to end and I would have thought we were walking in circles if I hadn't been sure that we came from an end of the corridor. After a few minutes we came to a halt in front of an elegant black door that was out of tune with the rest of the building. It was still made of metal, but this one didn't have any trace of dirt or rust. Galateé raised her hand and knocked once. Twice.

Out of the blue, a distorted voice sounded at our right. It was then when I noticed a little intercom on the wall, just a few centimeters away from the door.

"Quel quereis?" It spoke in Italian. The voice was feminine and high pitched, but that all what I could get from the message it just gave us. I couldn't get the meaning of those words.

However, Galateé did. She tilted her head to the small microphone on the intercom and spoke in a serious tone. "Siamo venuto vedere Marco della Passaglia"

"Nomi?" The voice asked again.

"Signora Galateé Ouvrard e Harold Evans, Clan Tremere"

Following Galateé's answer there was silence. A long silence. Maybe a couple of minutes of painful waiting in silence. And then the door opened, creaking loudly.

My Sire went first. Without hesitation she crossed the door to our meeting, without even looking back at me, without motioning me to follow her. I didn't need it. It may seem a bit sad for my part, but at the time I had no alternative. Where she went, I followed, so I had little to say, but there was a lump in my throat that was getting bigger by moments and I had a voice screaming "danger!" in the back of my skull. I knew that something would happen, that we were not safe... My only concern was if she noticed it as well, but I couldn't tell...

Once the door closed behind me, I couldn't help but think about how many more were to come... We almost spent all night crossing from door to door, from room to room. Finally I noticed the chamber we entered. As I was expecting it was completely different from the corridors we had just crossed and completely different than the "Eden" was. The room was dark red in color, the color of freshly spilled blood. It was everywhere, on the floor carpet, the walls, the furniture.

Hmmmmm... Blood...

All was warm and inviting. It was wide and had many cherry doors, probably accessing other chambers. It seemed some sort of manor. My gaze flew up to meet a beautiful crystal lamp, with silver details and some red stones incrusted. As my head fell down again, I noticed a red clad woman sitting on a desk beside the biggest door in the chamber. There were also a few red velvet couches with other people sitting on them, some talking loudly in different languages, others reading...

Galateé went to speak with the red clad woman for a moment and returned after exchanging a few words with her. It seemed that we were going in next, but we had to wait a few minutes to speak with the Marco guy. After a few moments of looking around, we ended sitting on the nearest couch to what I supposed it was Marco's office door. My Sire was glancing suspiciously every few moments at said door without a sound, without comments. I wanted to tell her about the bad feeling I had but she interrupted my thoughts tilting her face to me and whispering in my ear...

"Are you well fed? Are you hungry?"

"What?" At the look of annoyance on her face I desisted in trying to know why she was asking me that and answered "Well... I- I'm pretty full tonight... Aside from the 'bite' we caught before entering, I had a few drinks in the club..."

A smirk graced her lips "good..." and she continued "Do you remember how did you use your Auspex gifts back in the manor? Can you draw them cosnciously?"

"I can try..." I have tried before a few times, and I hadn't been successful in all my attempts, so I was unsure... But deep down, I had a strange feeling, a need to satisfy my Sire... as if it was something primal, that I could not avoid. I wanted her to be proud...

"Well then... You see the door?" I nodded " I want you to try and listen what is going on in there while I'm asking Marco's servant a few things. Feel the power in your blood, focus on it and fuel your senses with it" She stood and walked to the woman in red again, engaging her in conversation. I glanced around to see most of the Kindred present engrossed in conversation themselves, some of them laughing, others purring like cats...

I closed my eyes trying to concentrate on the energy of my vitae, pulsating, freshly replenished. I could feel the power coming from inside me, and like when I fed, I felt almighty. Casting those thoughts and sensations aside, I tried to draw it, to use it, to bend it to my will. And I succeeded... I conducted the raw energy trying to refine it, sending it to my brain, to me eyes, to my nose, to my tongue, through my skin...

And suddenly I was overwhelmed and overpowered by all the sensations that came at me at once... Colors filled my vision, there was red, and blue, and green, and red with black spots... The flavor of the flowers and fruits used in the wine I had consumed along with the blood came to me... apple, citrics and a bit of lavender... I could taste the salty sweat on the neck of the guy back in the alley... the tangy and rich flavor of his blood... All the smells in the room were almost making me sneeze, cologne, perfume, sweat, blood... My fingers gripped the edge of the couch, but went up almost immediately... I could feel every imperfection in the surface against my skin...

The worst, though, was all I was hearing. It was hell... "and then she... ...OME ON! THI... ...stunned to dea... ...HAHAHA It can't ..ell I said! ...dness according to... ...ID YOU SAY THAT! ...rk Lord, or that's wha... ...feasting, I tell yo... ...hmmm once we'r... ...LD YOU JUST SHU... ...illed some mor..."

I almost covered my ears in pain, almost puked from the dizziness as a result from sense overload... with a blink it was gone. I still couldn't control it fully, but at least I could use it at will... If I just could focus in only one or a couple of senses without amplifying the others... If I could only enhance and activate the powers of a certain area...

I stood still a few minutes, recovering from the unpleasant sense overload.

With a deep and long breath I decided to try it again. My eyelids fell and the sensation of growing power returned. It was burning inside of me, struggling to surface, raw and uncontrolled... Slowly I let it flow to my ears, without channeling it to other areas. Noises came at full volume, conversations, laughs, whispering, steps, limbs moving, the clothing's friction against the skin of the people in the room, the electric current in the wall... It came and disappeared, and came again... I still had problems with control, but at least I could focus on something and evade external interferences... I tried listening a few conversations, following the changing threads. A bit of practice helped me to direct the ability to an objective. I was ready, although not in full control...

With a rush of vitae to my head I directed my enhanced sense to Marco's door, trepassing it and violating blatantly the privacy of the ones that were inside...

"...s not what we expecte.." It was a conversation. A voice spoke, deep and raspy.

"...ill... It's not enou..." Another voice. Masculine like the other one, smooth and deeper, but with a heavy foreign accent...

"...know that. I'm just sugge... ...e could be the end of the secrecy stat... ...end... ...masquerade..."

"...lready contacte... ...Ventrue. The Prince is awar..."

"...f he's aware how come he's ordering their captur..."

"...told you that I don't know. I only have the information you're providing me... ...knew you're working for me... ...aybe they're in it too. You can never be too careful..."

"..'m still not sure... ...e just know about a wizardin... ...Order... ...honeix... ...Apparently something happened... ...members and there was a disappearance... ...witnesse... ...ucking blood... ...was terrified... ..ey're accusing us... ...contacted magic... ...n the Vatican..."

"...tacted the Vatican!?..."

"...ust sent... ...Society of Leopold... ...ired Wizard Hunters... ...this is bad..."

"...ndeed... ...this can't be happening again... ...merda putana... ...hat about the other trail..."

"..don't know if they know about it or if they just don't car... ...t happened inside their clan, but I'm not sure about whom started it... ...umors running around... ...people talk..."

"...es, but it is a major issue... ...mix of Vampiris... ...magic... ...contacted a Dark Lord..."

"...you know how this works for th... ...Tremere... ...suspicions about the Sabbat but the Sabbat despises mortal... ...traitor from within the very Camarilla. It could be even them..."

"...magic disappeare... ...inmortality... ...ot even possible... ...traitor is a fool... ...revelation... ...ntacted... ...Dark Lord... ...ambition..."

"...mix both bloods... ...Lord Vol... ...doesn't know about us... ...life... ...just overhear... ...rumour... ...tacted someone close to our worl..."

"..oth factions are eager... ...xcited... ...don't want to be in the crossfire... ...war in the open... ...I may disagree with the Camarilla but... ...too much danger to our kind... ...wizards maybe weaker but are dangerous too... ...yway I want to know from the sourc..."

"...ybe you won't be able to clarify... ...fterall you sold her..."

"...know. They're here... ...still owe her, but he came firs... ...risk my position..."

"...too attached to your club... ...I mus..."

I suddenly lost the little control I had over the ability and it stopped. My eyes flew open and I gasper for air... Still, I heard so much... Betrayals, Hunters, the Order? This was something big... And now I was pretty sure that we were stepping on dangerous grounds. We couldn't enter the room, we should have left right then, without hesitation... Galateé was eyeing me with a curious face, but I was still wide eyed and too stunned to react. I knew she was about to voice her concern and ask about what I had heard inside the room when the door opened to reveal a bald ugly man, probably a Nosferatu, sporting a muddy brown, dirty trench-coat. He was leaving pretty fast, but when he caught sight of me and my Sire, he glanced oddly at us, with a simpathetic expression...

I followed him with my gaze until he left the room. Without me realizing it, my Sire was beside me.

"Harold, we're going in..." I almost didn't hear her. I was still thinking about the conversation that had just taken place inside that room...

"Wha... Oh!... Yes..." Still in a daze, that was all I could respond.

"Heard anything interesting?" She asked

I nodded. I wasn't sure, and maybe we could pick up some information from the 'audition' with Marco della Passaglia, but I had a bad feeling about what was going to follow and the conversation I had just heard wasn't helping either... Questions and more questions rose in my head... About what was happening in the Wizarding World, about trust, about my new no-life, about those betrayals, about trust... I wanted to tell her, I had to tell her... But I didn't. I didn't trust her just yet, so I could use the knowledge I just gained to my benefit, or no one could use it against me... So I could be safe... Knowledge is power... But from my perspective now, maybe it was a big mistake...

She eyed me and muttered "good... You can tell me later..." while walking to the meeting.

I followed her until we stopped in front of the door. The woman in red, whom I assumed was Marco's Servant, nodded to my Sire and opened the door for us. If it had been beating, I'm sure my heart would have raced... I was very nervous, and the conversation I had heard wasn't helping either...

The sight that greeted us was for sure not what I had been expecting... "Ohhhhhh!" Yelled a deep voice. I jumped and looked to the source of the sound, to see a big balding man sitting on a huge leather chair behind an elegant looking wooden desk. He had a broad smile from ear to ear, showing his pointy fangs and with his eyes almost closed. "Ah! I'm glad to see you again Galateé! It's been too long since our last meeting! I was beginning to think that you were avoiding me!"

He walked to us and stepped just below the lamp. Marco della Passaglia surely wasn't like any Vampire I had seen until then, nor what I had been expecting. He was broad, and not from shoulder to shoulder. Chubby, with a a happy-go-lucky expression on his face, he had a big mouth, a little nose and two black eyes that seemed full of attention and aged knowledge. The eyes, that was the only thing that told me that this Marco person had to be taken seriously. He was clad in a very fit dark red business suit and his look was almost comical... But again, looks can be deceiving...

He stepped forward again, this time approaching me, and in an unsuspected movement, and more fast that I had ever seen, took my hand shaking it vigorously.

"And you must me Harold! I've heard so much about you child! I was already eager to meet you!"

I was a little startled by the handshake and the warm simpathy of this man "Ehmmm... Thanks?" His smile widened again and released me from his Iron grip. From the corner of my eye I could see my Sire smirking...

"Stop harassing my Childe Marco... I think you're scaring him..." She was humored by my reaction at the Giovanni's strange antics...

"Of course! I'm sorry if I scared you my childer, I was just very eager to meet you... Both of you actually!" Still smiling... Did that smile never leave his face?. It was starting to get annoying... "Well, let's get to business, shall we? Then you can tell me, my dear Ragazza, what are you doing here with your newly acquired childe..."

"Cut the crap Marco. You know what we are doing here. The Clan must have told you that we were coming... the one who has no clue about why they sent us is me, although I suppose it has to be something important..."

And he laughed! I was looking from his laughing face to Galateé's puzzled one... It seemed that this was not something that she expected... Telling the truth, it wasn't something that neither of us expected...

"If I may ask, Marco... What's so funny about this? Are you going Senile? It has been that long since you las fed? Important information bits are no laughing matter..." She seemed irritated...

After he calmed a bit, still chuckling he continued... " So you have no idea? That makes it even better, although it makes me feel a bit guilty... Just so you know, your clan hasn't told me anything... i was expecting you, yes, but i thought you were going to ask for aid or refugee... To think that I trully believed you to be a rebel... Oh dear, you never know what to expect this days!

That seemed to make her nervous. And she lost her calm completely "What does that mean? What are you talking about? Alphonse Carnby himself ordered our meeting. He was the one who told me to come!" She didn't expect that from Marco either...

"Then your loved Alphonse Carnby lied. Or he believed a lie... I always told you that you were too trusting..."

"I don't trust you..." she responded quietly...

"Your loss... But still you came... Contrary to your beliefs I trust you. So I'm beginning to understand what is going on with the rumours about you two... It's a very hard puzzle to solve, but now I'm beginning to see the solution... Sadly, this makes what I'm going to do more difficult than I thought... I'm sorry..." And finally the smile left his face...

"Sorry for what? She asked incredulously

He sighed..."For this"

And faster than we could have ever seen the doors burst open with a loud boom. We detected someone enter the room and I heard a gasp escape Galateé's mouth followed by her yelling. "YOU TRAIt...!", she couldn't say anything more. A wooden stake went directly through her heart as I felt a strong pair of arms grabbing me from behind...

My eyes were darting from one place to another, from one face to another... Our attackers were Marco's henchmen... The owner of the Eden walked to her and whispered something that sounded like "sorry ragazza, but 'they' came first..."

"What are you doing? What have you done to her!? What are you going to do to me!?" I came out of my daze asking a blur of questiond frantically... He turned to me and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry that your unlife was so short"

With that I felt a burning pain over my heart. A sharp wooden stake broke my ribs and perforated my lungs and stabbed my heart... My eyes went wide, my mouth open in a silent scream of anguish and pain... And then, the blackness came...

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**A/N:** Well, as I said before it was a long wait. I had some problems while writting this chapter, so forgive for the lateness. Still, I updated as I promised and I don't plan on abandoning this fan fiction anytime soon...

Concerning the story, I have to say that neither Isla Black or Dorea Black ( or Charlus Potter) are OC's created and owned by me. They figure in the Black Family Tree that can be found on Harry Potter Lexicon or any other Harry Potter website. Dorea Black married a Charlus Potter and was the granddaughter of Phineas Nigellus Black and Walburga Black's ( Sirius Black's mother) aunt. She had only one child with Charlus Potter who is suspected to be James Potter. Only made the connection. Also, Isla Black was the first disowned member of the black family, apparently for marrying a muggle ( although I plan on change that a bit).

Anyway, the next chapter will be out as soon as I can finish it. Let's just hope it will be sooner than this time.

Now, **REVIEW**

The Mysterious Nobody 


	7. Chapter 6: Talk in the Dark

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter™ and all its characters are owned by JK Rowling and Raincoast Books. Vampire the Masquerade™ and all its contents are owned by White Wolf Games' Studio. However, I do Own the OC's from this story.

**A/N**: The chapter is finally here. Sorry for the long time it took to update, but well, I warned this time... here it is...**READ & REVIEW!**

**Warning**: Language and explicit violence. Blood.

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**Chapter 6: Talk in the Dark**

Floating. I was floating. I could hear movement around me but I was unconscious. My senses betrayed me. After that wave of excruciating pain, blackness engulfed all my senses, casting me out of the physical world.

Maybe I was dead... Would I be finally able to see everyone again? My parents, Sirius. Was this darkened bliss really the other side? There was no pain, nothing to feel, no taste, nothing. Only never ending darkness and the echoes of muffled cries and sounds coming from somewhere far, far away. Devoid of everything, it was a bliss...

That sensation ended quite abruptly when I suddenly felt another jolt of pain through my body, just above my already pierced heart. The darkness, as quick as it had come, vanished to be replaced with a confusing blur of colors, and my body jerked awake, hysterical. My mouth open with a shattering scream of agony, eyes wide in a mask of pain and betrayal. Hurt, scared, and extremely nervous... just as I had left this world...

You thought I was already dead, didn't you?

To be sincere, I thought the same at that time, so I was very surprised to see that I wasn't turned into a pile of ashes. Of course, I was supposed to know that I would still be 'alive', so to speak, after that, but well... You can say that when a creature wielding the strength of at least ten people stabs a rough wooden stake in your chest, just through your heart, the last thing to pass through your mind is "_oh, don't worry, I'll live_". In fact, those thoughts tend to be in the same lines as "_let it be quick and painless_".

But it happens that we Kindred, are far more difficult to kill. I already told you before. There are very few things that can take down one of us easily. And even then, if you want to kill us, and have the means to do so, don't hesitate and be sure that we're 'dusted', because when it comes to our survival, we won't hesitate, we won't have any doubt when our fangs suck your sweet blood out of that shell you call a body.

Hmmmmm... Blood...

Most never come close to kill one of us; in fact, your traditions and superstitions about our kind play to our advantage when it comes to eliminate us. Rifle and stake wielders will never be able to subdue us. A church? Beautiful places, though a little bit creepy. You can invite me inside if you want. No cross will harm us, nor any other religious token. Garlic? I would eat some just to remember the spicy flavor it added to my human meals, a pity that I won't feed on anything more than blood nowadays. I would avoid you if you had it around you, but just to be sure not to smell that horrid stench rather than the garlic itself. Harmless. Holy Water? I'm not religious, but I'll try to pick some while praying the next time I find myself in a catholic temple. Also, water in general is harmless to us. I can't think what would be of us, kindred, if we weren't able to bathe... well, maybe you can ask a Nosferatu about that.

Now, fire is a dangerous thing. Sunlight too. They scorch our skins and purify the dark taint we represent in the world. Both won't kill us instantly, but are the most effective way to be sure that we won't survive the encounter. Normally, beheading us is also a good method, but you have to actually be capable to do it, and believe me when I say that there aren't too many mortals capable of surpass our strength, speed or escape our powers... Wizard Hunters, now those are dangerous.The reason why we are more weary with their lot is a simple one; With a single wand they are able to conjure fire to burn through our bodies, sunlight to penetrate our insides with the most horrid heath and cutting spells to free our shoulders from the heavy load of our heads...

The wooden stakes, though, those are 'the myth'. Contrary to popular belief, a stake through our heart will not end our 'no-live' but it will effectively induce a forced comatose state known as the 'Torpor', which will last as long as the wooden stake remains in our bodies...

The Torpor...

Beautiful, agonistic sleep.

Sweet dreaming purgatory.

Pleasant suffering of not knowing where you'll be when you wake up, if you wake up at all...

Leaving the Torpor had been as painful as it had been entering. My vision blurry and my senses coming together again trying to identify anything familiar in front of me. Fear, fear as I had never felt before gripping my throat and twisting my insides. If my heart would have been still beating, I was pretty sure it would be racing.

Incoherent theories about my situation were constantly popping in my mind, while the brain was trying to process what happened just before entering the Torpor. The world around me didn't seem to matter while I still could clearly see Marco's chubby face twisted with pity at the same time a stake entered my chest...

And another emotion appeared, this time invading me even faster than those which I had just felt. Anger, cold and intense anger. Fury, bloodlust, hatred in response to another betrayal... another one... Why the fuck was I always involved in this shit? Fuck it, I didn't want that crap again. My past life had been full of it, and now I had the opportunity to start over... And I had to put with that again? Fuck off, I didn't want to...

"_Fuck... I don't want this again..." _However, the rage invading my body left as quickly as it came when another jolt of intense and venomous pain erupted from my chest.

"_My heart_" I gasped again, harder than before and a hand came up to clutch the left side of my sore and battered chest. "_What?_" Yes, it stung like hell, but it was already healing, maybe due the blood I had ingested not too long ago. I shook my head once again, just to clear away my mind and look at what was surrounding me. sighing tiredly I sat up straight. Or as straight as I could being tied up with my hand roughly and uncomfortably positioned behind me. The room, if it could be called that, reminded me of the cellar in Honeyduke's, of my first night as a Kindred, not too long before. Ironically, the similarities between both situations wouldn't end there... Little I did know that I would be starting a new 'stage' in my no-life.

Dark as it was, I could still see remnants of the pale moonlight, passing through the rotten wooden panels above in the form of thick and eerie rays, reflecting themselves in the damp floor. The room was small and cold, and almost sealed. A single metallic pillar in the center of the small chamber, maybe an Iron beam put vertically, rusting, was the only support I had for my battered back. Uncomfortable and painful, my bones ached, pleading for softness. Maybe it had been hours, or days since I had been captured... To be sincere, time was irrelevant. My main concern, sitting up like that, was the well-being of my wrists, tightfully pressed together and tied with huge chains to the strong column behind me. In front of me, a tiny, weak wooden door filtrating pale, yellow light, closed with a huge padlock and with another set of heavy looking chains around it.

Where was I? What had Galateé gotten ourselves into? Where was she? Had it been Galateé at all?

Our trip to 'The Eden' had been, at least, strange and eventful. Too many things happened in one single night, too many things said, too many left unspoken. The chain of events was very, very 'off'. Too rare. It made no sense at all. Whatever it was the answer to the whole enigma it had to be big. Too many people were after us, after me. And the conversations I overheard in there weren't helping either... The whole thing seemed to be a mess, a mess which involved the Camarilla, the Sabbat and the Wizarding World. "_Wizardry_", I snorted... Would I be ever able to leave that part of me behind? Spells, what use did I have for them now? I couldn't even wield a wand... What use had my life until my embrace now? My Hogwarts years? For what... Would my friends even remember me? Miss me? Would they fear me... The worst part of it was that they were probably closer to the whole plot than I was, for in between the things spoken between Marco della Passaglia and that Nosferatu, they let slip words like 'Hunters', 'Magic', 'Wizards', 'Traitors', 'Order' and 'Dark Lord'... But how did all of this fit together with our nights?

Maybe it would have been better if I had told Galateé about it... Maybe it was my fault again...

Like I said, it was too much to handle.

Sighing I brought my head up, resting it on the surface of the rusty,humid beam. The room, albeit small, was very very tall, almost like a tower. I couldn't make the ceiling, hidden somewhere in the darkness. The only thing that shone up there, was the faint pale whitish light of the moon, passing through the split between the humid, rotting wood panels, roughly stuck on the wall to block the window.

"_My fault..."_ I snorted. _"this isn't my fault..."_ It couldn't be. I was tired. Tired of assuming the respnsibility for everything, and this definitely wasn't my fault...

"You're a very amusing creature to observe, _'Mr. Evans'_"

My head went down instantly reacting at the voice. There was someone in there with me the whole time! And I didn't even heard or seen anything! I tried unsuccessfully to back away from the speaker despite being tightly tied up. The same voice began chuckling at my reaction and spoke again.

"How very... 'human' of you. It is always amusing to see a newborn reacting to the unknown without the protection of their Sire. So tell me, 'traitor', Do you know why you've been brought here?"

That voice... It was venom. Manipulative, expert, charismatic venom. A pair of bright brown eyes shone in the darkness just beside the door. The figure stepped forwards, letting the light draw its outline. It wasn't very tall but imposed respect, and for the voice you could tell that whomever it was, it was definitely male. Deep and raspy, it had a tone of importance about it...

"Who are you?" The time had come for me to ask.

"How rude... Didn't your sire teach you any manners? I surely was expecting more from Galateé Ouvrard... I'm afraid, Mr Evans, that the only one making questions in this room, unless I say otherwise, will be me. But if you must know, I'm Lord Edmund Etiénne; 'Prince' Etiénne." Was his reply. Never loosing his calm, seemed to be enjoying this too much...

"Prince?" I asked...

"Yes, Mr. Evans, Prince. I'm sure you're at least a little aware of the ranks in our society. Prince as in ruler and administrator of all the Camarilla affairs in the city of London. You owe me loyalty and subjection to my command. You, your Sire, and your entire clan in this tiny piece of land. You are mine. My puppet, like the rest of kindred inhabiting this dark city. I know everything that 'my citizens' do, I should know everything that 'my citizens' do, and I do not take defiance and rebellion very well... So tell me, Mr. Evans, Do you know why you've been brought here?"

A tight spot... In front of a Prince and I didn't even request an audition... Some could call it good luck. However, this encounter wasn't going to end well... I could feel it. Taste the danger in the room with the tip of my tongue...

His tone was commanding, but he didn't seem very pissed at all, he just stood there, waiting for me to answer.

"No, I don't know..." I answered truthfully. I had suspicions, yes, but I really had no idea why they were doing this to us...

"Are you afraid, Mr. Evans? Do you know what I'm capable to do to you if you lie to me?" He moved to threats...

Well, no. I didn't know, but I was sure it wouldn't be too pretty, having in mind what a creature such as a Kindred could consider as a punishment or torture...

I snorted. "I think I can make a fairly accurate picture, sir..."

He grabbed my neck forcefully, clenching it hard between his fingers... I was in pain again, choking with my spit and trying to struggle with the horrible feeling of having your windpipe squeezed in a tight grip. "Do you, Mr Evans? I think you're underestimating my power and my resolve. And that's a thing you should not do with one as powerful or old as myself, and I normally don't touch the filth of the likes of you with my bare hands, nor I have the patience for deplorable jokes. But the situation, as it is, happens to require it and I'm not excessively happy about that. So I will ask you again; Are you afraid, Mr. Evans?"

"Yes My Lord." I responded quiely. With my last answer I thought that he had made pretty clear that he didn't like to be answered cheekily. It reminded me of a mix between the bitterness of the dark potions master and the attitude of the Dark Lord... So I stuck with plain and simple truth, stroking his ego a bit, again trying to sound humiliated enough to avoid to be introduced to the marvelous world of pain...

Now that he was inches apart, I could see his face fully. He looked over forty with a round face and sandy long brown hair pulled in a loose ponytail. Slightly aristocratic features adorned his face gracefully, giving him an air of distinction and smugness. Sharp nose and arched thin eyebrows, the only thing truly distinctive in that face was a long jagged scar that went from his fringe, passed an eye, to the chin, covering almost all the left side of the face. An arrogance typical of those with high status had a heavy presence in him and his face stood in a sneer which reminded me too much of past enemies. Nothing I hadn't seen before in people like the Malfoys...

"Good, that's certainly an improvement in your position. This will make our 'conversation' easier. You should be honored that I lowered myself to come and talk to you, but alas, we have business of great importance in our hands. Our survival depends on it, and you, Mr. Evans, like it or not, will help to fulfill my objectives and the ones of the Camarilla." His tone was again commanding with a hint of malice. This wasn't good. No good at all...

He spoke again before I could utter a single word; "So I will ask two questions I want you to answer sincerely, Mr. Evans... Why did you and your Sire attack three wizarding houses the night after your embrace without covering your nature and cleaning the scene of any traces of your presence, fully exposing the Masquerade? Why did you slay the night after a highly respected Tremere Regent by the name of Alphonse Carnby, stealing important information about a series of discoveries he himself had found about new properties of Vampiric Vitae?"

What!? We didn't do any of that... I wasn't even with Galateé when the attacks at those houses... Although that name, that Tremere Regent... I had heard that name before... Galateé had mentioned him during our meeting with Marco... But the rest... it made no sense, I certainly did not do those things...

"What are you talking about..." I whispered mostly to myself, while thoughts about the past nights were racing through my already tired brain.

"What was that, Mr. Evans? I did not hear you well..."

"I don't know what are you talking about... Those nights you commented... I wasn't even with my Sire..." I answered sincerely again. Maybe too sincerely.

"What?" He asked incredulously

"I dont' kno-"

"I know what you said, Mr. Evans!" He snarled, interrupting me. "What I find hard to believe' he continued 'is that a Sire would abandon a childe after the embrace... especially one as discussed as you..." He said the last part in a quiet voice, almost in a whisper, which I was barely able to catch... "Tell me, what happened then, if what I heard is no the truth"

So I told him the story of how I had woken up in Hogsmeade, wandered around and went to sleep in an abandoned house awakening the next day in a fluffy bed at Galateé's manor. Of course I avoided anything that could take me a long explanation, for example how I went into the Order's Headquarters and sucked Remus' blood or me being Harry Potter ( in case he didn't know)... When I finished with my tale, he kept looking at me as if searching for anything that could tell him I was lying. His brown glowing gaze was painfully fixed in my green orbs, burning through them, staring at my very soul...

"Curious" he turned his back on me.

"_Curious?_" I thought rapidly, not understanding his reaction. "Curious?" I thought again, this time aloud. The ire had transformed in tranquility suddenly. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took a cigarette case from a pocket in his trousers, putting one of the smokes in his mouth lighting it up rapidly. He stood there without moving, the orange light of the cigarette shining in the darkness of the room...

"Yes, Mr. Evans, curious. I find your tale curious, intriguing and hard to believe, for there are too many things not quite normal in it, and I'm sure there are a lot more left unspoken... I can't believe your story, for the sake of my position and the sake of the well-being of our community in London. My informants were my most trusted ones, and they know better than lie to me... Of course, I will not deny that there is something 'off' in both tales, but until I say otherwise, my version of the facts is the truth, and yours a mere invention. Therefore, you will remain a traitor until I lift the 'bounty' on your head, freeing you..." He remained still. Then put the cigarette in his mouth again with a characteristic mannerism.

"What!?" He would do nothing? Anything at all to find the truth? "Speak with my Sire, she will tell you the same thing! I'm not lying!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. How dare he? I was telling the truth, an he knew it... Oh, he knew it alright...

"And I could not care less. If you're lying or telling the truth is of no consequence right now. As I said before, I can't afford, at least right now, that everything you're telling me is the truth. As for talking about it with your Sire... I would have done it if I could, unfortunately for us, and far worse for you, your Sire is not here."

"What?" My eyes went wide as saucers. Not there? She had been captured as well... I saw the stake going through her heart...

"It seems that Lady Ouvrard managed, somehow, to escape while being carried here, Injuring my childe in the process, leaving you to our mercy... Rather ironic, isn't it? Your own Sire leaving you behind to face the consequences of betrayal..." He was still turned with his back facing me. The smoke around him was dancing in graceful smooth movements, floating between us.

I choked on my spit while fear began gaining control of my actions again. I had been betrayed once more. Two times in a row, and now I was alone... Maybe with magic... As I wizard I had been powerful, as a Vampire I was a beginner, I had no control on anything whatsoever, not even my body or my own powers... And I was alone again. A feeling of dread passed through my chest once more, thinking about what could they do to me now that i was unprotected, defenseless. I swallowed saliva in a pitiful attempt to stiffle a sob of fear and anger and banged my head on the metal beam that served as a support for my battered back.

I laughed. I laughed at the absurdity of it all, at the thought of my bad luck, my fucking bad luck. Fate loved me, that's for sure. Why couldn't it screw with other's lifes? Why was always Harry fucking Potter, now Harold fucking Evans?

The Vampire before me twisted his neck and watched me with a blank expression while I was struggling to regain my composure, struggling to remain sane in a world that was trying to drive me mad... Why don't just turn me into a Malkavian then? I could have been a damn nutbox the moment the blood of their kind touched my mouth... I didn't know if even feel special for it all... thanks, Lady Fate, for everything...

The Prince chose to continue whatever he had to tell me once I had finished. The moment I calmed, he eyed me and opened his mouth to speak.

"Still, there are a few things to consider, and your presence here can be useful"

I gazed at him, this time curious, as if asking to go on with whatever he had to say. My feelings on the matter, though, were no very hopeful. I felt that this wasn't going to have a nice end... At least for me...

"As I said before. In both your tale and the reports I had received in your actions there are things that are not normal. Easy to overlook, but interrelated non the less. In one of the reports there was also something hinting to a trail I want to follow... And this trail passes through you and connects mortals, Kindred and wizardry together"

My eyebrows went up. Now that was a piece of information, another clue...

"Tell me, Mr. Evans. Have you ever heard anything about '_the Bird of Hermes_'?

Indeed, I had heard the 'name' before. Not that I remembered immediatly. It had been a year ago, during my auror training. While searching in the Ministry's archive I stumbled upon a folder that contained a case known as 'The Bird of Hermes'. It was a 'legend' of sorts in the department, being the only file containing just a name and some papers concerning the issue. The case had never been closed, and it had been left out for lack of evidence.

No one in the entire ministry had discovered anything about it since it had been opened, 30 years ago, just with the beginning of the First War. The case began with a series of attacks in a few wizarding homes. The difference between this ones, and the rest of attacks on 'Muggleborns', 'Half-Bloods' and 'Blood Traitors' that were happening at the same time was that there were also Pure Bloods among the victims. Most of them ended up dying inmediately or in the way to St. Mungos with a strange and untraceable poison that was given to them. All the victims were respectable members of the wizarding community and dwelled deep into history and rituals. Only the last one, a wizard by the name of Arcturus Edgecombe had survived enough to talk with the Auror in charge of the investigation. His last words before passing away were "the '_Bird of Hermes_' dwells in the dark, he's coming for me". In the houses of the victims, things were almost untouched, except for a few unimportant magical artifacts and some papers and books in the archives of every house. Which ones, we could never know...

Now, a Vampire was bringing it up...

The Prince seemed to notice the changes on my face at the mention of the issue, but said nothing. He just looked at me intently and began speaking again not giving me time to answer.

"Some time ago, there were a few cases of murder in the Wizarding world. The world where I'm told you come from, Mr. Evans... The responsible of those crimes was believed to be named 'The Bird of Hermes' and the chain of events became known with that name as well. Of course, that didn't concern us, for it wasn't out of our boundaries and we preferred the wizards to solve wizarding problems for themselves... Anyway, it seems that we were wrong. Our spies and informers brought us curious and disturbing information around the name. The subject of our concerns didn't just limit to act in the Wizarding World. It entered our society as well. We don't know why or how, but rumors began to spread among us, about rituals, massacres and diablerie. And the most important thing, two factions of Kindred were involved in the matter; The Tremere and The Sabbat. Then it came to our knowledge another important bit of information. All the vampires that were suspected of having a connection with the case, were 'magical' Kindred. They came from the Wizarding World..."

I was very interested in what the Vampire in front of me was saying. When I discovered the file I had been very intrigued by it, and now new things and clues were added to the mix... Kindred were in it too? He continued.

"...Then, it suddenly stopped roughly twenty years ago. We don't know why or how, but it seemed to disappear and all the information related to the subject was forgotten. The Kindred suspected, left alone. And then, a new clue appears. The night of the death of Alphonse Carnby, the Tremere Regents in London were furious. To calm them a bit, and to avoid a much bigger situation, I personally sent an investigation team to the scene and a Hunt team to capture you. The Chamber was intact, and only one book was taken from the shelves in it. We do not know which one, but we discovered one important thing on that scene... between Alphonse Carnby's ashes were traces of a very singular venom... A venom that we only had seen once before, and it was the same used in the 'crimes' of 'the Bird of Hermes'..."

My eyes went wide with surprise. "What?"

"Yes. You heard well. The Tremere were involved, and especially, Alphonse Carnby, one of the Kindred suspected of having a relationship with the issue thirty years ago was found dead and said to be murdered by you and your Sire. And then, Lady Ouvrard mentions Carnby's name in the conversation wit Marco della Passaglia in 'the Eden' club... which was a surprise... A lie? Perhaps... The thing that matters now, Mr. Evans, is that you are involved in it, like it or not, and will work with me to solve it, like it or not." He was serious, and his gaze was meaningful.

"What do you mean?" I asked a bit surprised... He wanted my help? He could have asked first...

"Don't you see, Mr Evans? You are involved in this, the Tremere are involved in this, the Wizarding World is involved in this, and if I'm not too far from the truth, the Sabbat will be involved in it soon enough... At least you are a little involved with the Sabbat, from what my Childe tells me..."

Oh, right... Isla Black... Then he continued.

" You see, you are a tremere, yes, which grants you access to some of the knowledge of the clan and their abilities. But on top of that you haven't passed the ritual of bonding and haven't consumed the blood of the elders. Therefore, no ritual can be performed against you involving their blood and no blood bond can be forced to subdue your 'will'. You could call yourself an 'almost free' Tremere..."

Where the hell was this going?

"...'Almost free' because I have the control over your situation, Mr. Evans. I have the power, at least for the moment, to order your execution or hand you over to the Tremere, and let them have 'their way' with you. I can do whatever I please with your life right now, but your better use this time is as a Spy... You will spy for me, Mr. Evans; you will infiltrate both the Sabbat and draw information about them, and at the same time, you will search for any clue related to 'the bird of Hermes' in order to uncover the plot. Until then, you'll be prosecuted by any Camarilla 'squad' that you may encounter, for I will not raise the bounty on your head. You're going undercover now, and without a Sire, without protection, so I suggest you to be careful and to do what is asked of you if you want to ever walk the nights in peace, Mr. Evans."

His tone was powerful and commanding, as if he was the general and I was the soldier. I was angered by the situation I found me in... A bloody spy, a goddamn Snape in the clutches of both factions in the war... I wanted to run, but thinking coolly, it was better to have a chance to continue 'living' and accept the deed for now, rather than die executed by his hand or those of my clan... Then, there was also Galateé's issue and the fact that I was very interested in 'The Bird of Hermes'...

I sighed tiredly and nodded to the prince, who, for the first time during all our 'conversation', smirked. "I'll do it"

He looked at me in the eyes and replied with a satisfied "Excellent". Then, he turned around again and leaning for a moment against the door spoke. "You will pass the information to another contact every month in a series of reports. There will be no encounters between us and if you ever show your face here, Mr. Evans, you will be executed unless your name is cleared. We will inform you in due time. I hope you won't mind me too much as a puppeteer, Mr. Evans..." With that, he opened the door and motioned to leave, not with last words; "Struggle to get free, for I don't want to see you again tonight. The door is open, and your chance is here"

He stepped through the entrance, leaving it wide open. I could see a corridor and a light in the end... The door to freedom, or something like it...

¿Whoever said that freedom had to be a good thing?

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**A/N:** Another chapter I had a hard time writing. Sorry again for the long time it took me to update, but hopefully, now that summer is approaching, the next ones won't take too long.

Anyway, for the "Bird of Hermes" thing; I'm not crossing over with Hellsing. A friend of mine read it and asked me if I was. No, there's no other crossover in this story. The plot will begin to thicken and develop from here, and "The Bird of Hermes" thingie will be a major part of it. If you want to know more about it, search "Scroll of Ripley" in Google, although it can unveil too many things about the story. Anyway, next chapter will have action, the Sabbat and a bit of the Wizarding World. Until then...

Special thanks to all those who reviewed and added this story to their favorites list or their communities.

Now, **REVIEW**

**The Mysterious Nobody**


	8. Chapter 7: Sympathy for the Devil

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter™ and all its characters are owned by JK Rowling and Raincoast Books. Vampire the Masquerade™ and all its contents are owned by White Wolf Games' Studio. However, I do Own the OC's from this story.

**A/N**: New chapter to the count. Sorry again to all of you who've been waiting for it. Anyway, it's here now, so enjoy and, of course, **READ & REVIEW!**

**Warning**: Language and explicit violence. This chapter has an especially large amount of gore and blood in it. This fic is rated "Mature" for a reason

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**Chapter 7: Sympathy for the Devil**

It was raining again. Heavy drops descended from the dark sky, impacting on every surface around me. It was bliss. It was torture.

The damp buildings were menacing, obscure, like predators observing a prey too little and too weak to avoid them from their high stance. The water poured on them was falling at my feet, dirty and tainted, while a wave of complete exhaustion was catching up with me, devouring me, burning my throat with the raging fire of an unavoidable and insatiable thirst. There was nothing more than darkness ahead, only broken by the muggle lights shining inside the mortal homes and buildings or the run down streetlamps, victims of human vandals. Mortals? _humans_? When had I started thinking about them as such? When had I left humanity? It didn't matter then, it doesn't matter now. Perhaps the experience I had just 'lived', so to say, gave me a new viewpoint to see things through. Yes, probably... ...Nothing better to clear one's mind than a severe beating.

There is no power more intoxicating than the power to take a life. It is the divine providence, the touch of the angel of death, a liberation. Power to cause pain, to destroy, to end. To end suffering, to end misery, to end happiness. It's inside your head, eating you from the core of your brain; it's wrong, at first, but then it feels so good. And then you realize, after years and years of learning, of killing, of self-understanding, that you are not chained to the inhibitions of a human being. Not anymore, not by a long-shot. It only gets easier, it only turns you colder. Humanity is the catch... ...Would you consider losing the ties to the only thing that's keeping you in the right side of the line between the sane and the insane? It's when you're thinking of this when reality hits you harder than a bludger; You're not longer human, are you?

Sanity, at least for my kind, isn't qualified in human standards anymore...

Of course, if you had asked me about killing during my times as an auror, I would have been horrified. Killing? For Merlin's beard, are you insane? I would feel bad even after killing Voldemort. Oh yes, I wished him to be six feet under the dirty soil, but I would never rejoice in killing anyone, not even him, not even his whore. Then, after my first experience as a deathbringer, the Avada Kedavra sounded like a blessing...

Running was the easiest part, decide where to was another story. I couldn't clear my mind, not while my hands were soaked in fresh gore, dripping wet in the elixir of life, staining everything I touched. A trail of fresh vitae behind me was my track, not all mine, not all theirs. The gaping hole in my stomach was bleeding heavily, like a red torrent, strong, full. Clutching it I heard the chains attached to my wrists jiggle. They were laughing at me. I coughed, splattering the walls beside me with more red. With no more strength to stand my body collapsed on it with a great amount of pain. Certainly the Prince wasn't joking when he said they wouldn't stop chasing after me... Arsehole...

I needed Madame Pomfrey, I needed Hogwarts' Infirmary, I needed magic, I needed a healer, I needed blood... ... How had things come to this?

Exiting the chamber where I had been imprisoned by the Prince had been relatively easy. Breaking the chains the easiest part of it, after all our strength is one of my most appreciated gifts of vampirism. It hadn't been great, but it had been enough.

Shakily I stood looking at my surroundings in a brand new perspective. Nothing had changed and I had to run. The long I spent there, the larger were the probabilities of being 'dusted'. So I did it, I ran through the door as fast as I could, images of the building flashing through my eyes.

Wish me Godspeed. Shouts, screams, a hand trying to grab me, dodge, a corridor, run, a window, Jump!

The obscured glass shattered under the pressure and inertia of my body freeing me of that bloody madhouse. Everything was a blur. The only thing I was aware of after jumping were the glass shards punctuating the skin all over my body, like the hot pokers of the cruciatus in a lower degree. Nothing that couldn't be ignored; I had resisted worse.

The awareness returned as my head impacted against the cold, solid asphalt. A dislocated shoulder and a cracked skull would later confirm the tale along with the large blood stains on my 'not-so-brand-new-suit-anymore' or the black, damp road. Then, the injuries didn't matter, my vitae didn't either. The only important thing was getting to safety, free of the eyes, of the ears of the Camarilla, and safety in that case meant going straight inside the lion's den; the Sabbat. Would I play the spy? was the prize offered really worth the risk? Should I act along until my opportunity came? What was the right choice... Merlin, I wished for Hermione to be there...

So I ran. I ran and continued running, running blindly, to a place I only knew the name. I would find it, Or I hoped so... 'The Shadowlake' was my salvation, my new sanctuary in the hands of the 'enemy', in the hands of the most dangerous of my kind. My invitation there, my relation to one of them, would be a little blessing between all the chaos, all my bad luck... ...Oh yes, a blessing indeed. I was 'overjoyed' to have such an honor... ...Expose me to sunlight, please.

As my feet dragged me through the dark, humid alleys of London without a clear course my head was racing through the facts of my new 'purpose'. Spy on them? See if there existed a connection between the murders and their sect? Find about 'The Bird of Hermes'? The worst of all was that my head couldn't find a reason to put me through all that. I was a newbie, a newborn, 'nude' and exposed without the magic I had been studying since I was eleven. Why put me through all that, despite my connection to both the Sabbat and the Wizarding World, risking to blow an operation as big as this one with a clumsy Cainite such as me? Because I was familiar with the case? No, I don't think so. There had to be more than that. Something they knew, something that made both factions interested in me or in things related to me somehow. Since my embrace I always had that sensation in the back of my head, telling me that the others knew more than they let slip. Those knowing smiles from Galateé, those thoughtful looks in 'The Eden', the eagerness for meeting me in Marco della Passaglia, the Prince's offer when he should have executed me, those strange conversations, those strange looks... ...There was something behind all that, something they knew and I did not, and I didn't like it one bit.

My internal debate was interrupted when my running halted at the impact of a metal pipe against my face with great strength, sending me back a few meters. I screamed at the sudden attack finding that my right cheekbone had shattered and my nose was swollen and spurting blood like a fountain. My vision was a bit blurry with red so I couldn't see what was going on in front of me, but if my ears were not deceiving me there were footsteps in front of me, and loud, howilng laughter.

"Well,well. Look what the current brought" The voice sounded masculine but high pitched, with a hint of an accent.

I felt the metal against my skin for the second time, the tube still humming with the late impact against my face. With my chin being lifted with it I could make two outlines over me. The first one, clutching the pipe, was the one who had spoken. The other one didn't wait for him to start again.

"You know 'im?" this voice sounded deeper and raspier. It seemed that the speaker was wheezing and had an even thicker accent.

"Nah, but he looks like hell. He seems a bit stressed, running from something... You think he escaped from the French Bastard's place?" What? French Bastard? "He seems Camarilla alright, but smells of fear" Oh, shit. Kindred "what were you running from, kiddo?" He asked me while chuckling.

I had a few options, but if they were to take me I was dead. My head had a price, and sooner or later they would find out about it... ...so I took the harsh approach.

"Go to hell" I spat at him trough my bloodied mouth, baring my fangs. Blinking I seemed to regain my vision a bit, only to meet the ugly smirking face of my first attacker.

Grinning wildly he spoke at his companion, a stocky, and apparently middle aged man. "Did you hear that? He seems to have a backbone after all... I tell you what I think. This punk here has the geeky fascist looks of those fucking sorcerers. You know what they lost a few nights ago?" Oh shit, and shit again. Here it was...

"Yea'. I 'eard from Jimmy. 'e said 'e was at the Eden when it 'appened. It looks like the little childe escape' the Prince's clutches... firs' Tremeres to do so since the ritual, him an' his Sire"

"You know, I heard that the elders have authorized a blood hunt... ...As it would be fun to beat this little shit to death, I say we take it to the geeks themselves. I think they wanted them kicking and as alive as we can be, probably to kill them themselves, the bastards. I don't like the sorcerers one bit, but you can always gain something from them with the right approach... ...And heck, I would do it just to see their faces, those fuckers..." This was pretty bad. My mind was already racing through different plans on how to escape or avoid them. No use, I would have to wait.

"We're not a 'unting Party, we're not even a party o' any sort. The Prince..."

"Fuck the Prince! Fuck him! He can go and stuff his 'Maison Etiénne' and his rules up his tight despotic arse. Half London hates him anyway. 'Authority figure deserving respect' my arse. To hell with him! Now look for a stake or something to incapacitate this piece of shit before this place is swarming with Blue Bloods! We're taking him to the creepy bastards and that's it" His companion glared at him but obeyed all the same, accepting the authority of his comrade. He looked at me with a wild smile revealing his pointy fangs under his upper lip while raising the metal pipe again ready to strike. "And now, the fun"

Acting on pure instinct, my mind swarmed through Auror precepts of self-defense. And as I saw the pipe descending to cause more pain I couldn't help to miss my wand. If only I could curse him, if only I could obliterate this bastard to dust... The training and the desperation to survive to see another night kicked in. There was too much to solve, too much to do, too much to see, too much to live despite what life had brought upon me.

I couldn't die. I wouldn't die.

My feet acted on its own accord, shooting up to my attacker's knee, delivering an enormous blow to it, bending the kneecap backwards with a sickening "crack". The pipe went clattering to the floor as the vampire fell over me screaming in pain and shouting obscenities at me. With a fierce cry and a face of concentration, he struggled to tackle me to the ground and made the motion to punch me. I tried to avoid it as fast as I could, making his fist impact with the wet floor which cracked under the high pressure of the forceful blow.

Scared shitless I intended to throw him off me with all my might. I succeeded. I was too caught up trying to get up that I didn't notice the other Vampire approaching fast. Before I could react, he delivered a fast and painful kick to my midsection making me roll while embracing my chest in pain.

He was approaching again with the same intentions when my hands felt the touch of something long and cold. The metal pipe that had fallen from the hands of the first of my attackers was there for me to take. As fast as I could I swung it in a high arch connecting with the face of my second opponent, who staggered backwards giving me just the time necessary to get up, shakily. His red eyed gaze was burning holes through me as he screamed "Fuck the Tremere. I'm goin' to kill this Bastar'"

I turned my head for a moment to see his comrade nodding at him, agreeing with the statement and trying to put his knee in his place again. As I spun my head to my main worry, the hand of my attacker went to his hip where a muggle double-barreled, sawn.off shotgun was attached to the leather belt. Alarmed and fearful of the power of those kind of weapons which I had never encountered before, even as an Auror-apprentice, I swung the pipe again as fast as I could hitting his hand. The shotgun went to the ground as the metal pipe before it.

My happiness was short-lived, though, when I felt a hand grabbing my wrist and a fist coming straight to my face. The powerful blow made contact with my cheek like a ton of bricks. I almost bent backwards but the clawing grip of my attacker on my wrist kept me from falling. He punched me again and again, every time harder.

In an act of desperation, yelling loudly, my hand managed to grab his neck in a hard and painful grip. I squeezed as hard as I could, nails penetrating the pale skin drawing blood. He reacted to it shaking slightly which gave me time to do the only thing I could think of. With my mouth wide open, I bit the spot in his throat where my hand had been squeezing. The vitae flowed to my mouth, rich and sweet, but I wouldn't swallow it. I was not there to feed, not there to diabolize. I bit even harder making the strongest pressure I could with the muscles in my jaw and with a mighty tug I ripped his throat wide open. Disgusted, I spat the chunk of flesh away from my mouth, unconsciously licking my lips, rejoicing at the taste of the liquid on my tongue. Unsure of what to do admired my 'work' for a moment before attempting to run.

My opponent shakily staggered as if his knees were weak for a moment until he reacted, covering the wound with one of his hands. I lost sight of him for a moment in my attempt to run from the fight until he reappeared before me brought by an amazing speed, delivering a kick straight to my belly. Following that kick came a flurry of blows that couldn't be seen by a normal eye. Too fast to notice, I could only feel the pain and the red liquid emanating from my body.

If the normal eye couldn't see him, maybe the empowered one could. Ignoring the pain I tried to draw the power from my vitae to activate the Auspex gift. The world exploded in colors, auras could be seen and I could almost 'foresee' his next move. Capturing his feet in mid-kick, I tugged to throw him to the grown. He fell flat, painfully hitting his head rather hard. As fast as I could I grabbed the pipe again and loosing my control for a moment I began hitting his face. Hard. I discharged some of my anger on him, furiously delivering blows on his already cracking skull. Hit after hit I could see the metallic tube doing more damage, drawing more blood. I continued hitting until his face was nothing more than a bloody mass of vampiric mash. I had almost spaced out, I lost control and I had enjoyed it.

Horrified at what I had just done, looking at what had been a face just moments ago I couldn't help feeling sick. I had enjoyed it.

I had enjoyed it. He wasn't dead, but what I had done to him was something worse than death, at least in my still-too-human mindset.

Too caught up in my feelings of guilt and disgust, even with my senses magnified by the power of vitae, I failed to notice the rustle of the wind behind me, the slightly loud steps of a menacing presence.

Somehow, the first attacker I had incapacitated managed to rise, grab a hold of the fallen shotgun and approach me from behind. When I spun, alarmed by the noise of his ragged voice telling me to die, I met the cannon of the Sawn-off shotgun. Without thinking, and before he managed to blow my head off, my hand captured the handle pushing it down to avoid the damage.

It was too late. A loud booming sound screwed my hearing, hitting it hard like the blacksmith's hammer on an anvil. My mouth was open wide in a silent scream of painful agony, my eyes were wide open staring at the sneering face of my attacker. The smell of charred flesh and ignited gunpowder hit my nose accompanied by the crude metallic taste of my own vitae in my mouth. Pain, unimaginable pain followed, after my hearing registered the sound of something semi-solid hitting the ground, splattering a large area in my back. Whatever it was, it was mine.

While the smoke was clouding my vision like a fine, revealing fabric, I averted my gaze down to meet the horrifying sight of an enormous gaping hole in my stomach, letting out torrents of vitae. Looking up again, I met those eyes one more time. A smug look was gracing the features of my enemy. He was mocking me, enjoying his victory, mocking me, laughing at me moments before my demise...

No.

I would not die. I couldn't die. As I thought before, there was too much to solve, too much to do, too much to see, too much to live despite what life had brought upon me.

"_No_"

That was the only word that escaped my lips as I gathered all my strength in one single thought. Kill Him. It was Darwinism, the law of the strongest. It was evolution, and I was several steps ahead of him. I would survive. I had to survive. All my focus went to empower that thought, all my might, all my power. The intent to kill the one who wanted to kill me. To harm him, to maul him, to obliterate him. I wanted to do it because ha wanted to abuse me for no reason. Somehow, all the anger gathered during my life, anger directed to Voldemort, to Bellatrix, to Snape, to the Dursleys, found a vent in the figure of that cainite.

My gaze was pierced on his until his expression changed suddenly, as if he was on pain. All of a sudden, as my eyes bore into the depths of his soul wishing excruciating torture and unavoidable death, he began screaming like a banshee. Loud and high, his wails begging for death could be heard in the distance, of that I was sure. I licked my lips ignoring my own pain, focusing my mind on his instead. He deserved it, and I was enjoying his pain. His shouts grew more and hs skin reddened as if it was on fire. His sobs were reduced to unintelligible gurgles as his skin began bubbling before my astonished but focused glare. (1)

Finally, and without a word of warning, the body of the vampire exploded in a shower of gore and ashes before me, dying the entire area of dark red. And I laughed at him, I mocked his death as he was about to mock mine. I savored the feeling of his blood against my skin, unconsciously licking my lips to taste the bit staining them.

As my rage diminished, exhaustion flooded my body giving me a hard sensation of hunger. Pain ran through me like hot lava, burning my insides. The fire in my throat was entirely different, though. I was hungry and I spent a great amount of energy in the fight. In the back of my mind the beast was screaming in rage to be freed, to be left in control, to kill, to feed and heal my body through the power of blood.

Without another thought in the matter I tried to ignore both the pain and exhaustion plaguing my mind and I left the scene as fast as I could, not looking back.

And the sky cried.

So there I was, cursing my own luck and the events that brought me to that point, exhausted against the wall waiting for the beast to take over. My vision was clouded and I couldn't help to smile at the Irony; I had killed, and I would kill more now, without control. I was famished. I needed to taste it...

In moments like that, I wished I could just sit for a moment and forget about everything. I wished I could enjoy the unlife without a life-threatening situation ahead, without a dark lord after my arse, without a dead penalty hanging over my head... I felt sick, but in a sense, the night, peaceful, and the rhythm of the raindrops impacting against everything, the water touching my skin, helped me to relax and enjoy the ride to oblivion, where my darker side was waiting to be freed. I needed blood...

Hmmmmm... ...blood...

Time passed. The blood wasn't coming. I needed it. I needed to drink it!

With my vision no longer supporting me I heard a faint sound. The rustle of a presence. Several presences. There were steps, a group of five, maybe. They were talking but in my state I couldn't understand half of what they were saying. I was hungry. So hungry...

As if reading my mind, a strong hand grabbed my jaw a bit forcefully. I tried to bite it and I heard cursing at my reaction. The hand grabbed it again and forced my mouth wide open. Something warm started to fill my mouth, sweet, tangy, hot, metallic. Acting on its own accord, my tongue darted from side to side begging for more. Swallowing eagerly I felt the energy returning to me, but I wanted more.

My hands went up grabbing whatever it was the source of my infinite pleasure, and moaning I brought it to my mouth. I bit on it as soon as it was within my grasp, my mouth full with the magnificent taste. Eagerly I drank, rejoicing on the delicious taste. More I wanted, and more came, It was exhilarating and addictive.

A whimper escaped my cold lips as the source of my pleasure was forcefully taken away from me. I heard a chuckle. "Do you wish for more?" asked a familiar feminine voice. I felt my head nodding vigorously and my urges calm when another container of warm and pulsating blood was pressed against my lips. I repeated the ritual once more, feeling the erotic pleasure of the process of feeding.

Slowly I could sense my body starting to mend itself, the wounds healing and the bones adjusting. It wouldn't heal immediately, probably it would be a long process, but it was a relief as the pain disappeared into the great rush of hot pleasure.

As the second source of blood was taken from me, my eyes fluttered and I regained conscious control of my body. I blinked twice, recoiling a bit at the source of shinning light in front of me. Covering my eyes with one hand I could make at least three outlines in front of me. One woman and two men. Averting my sight from them for a moment I caught a glimpse of a bundle on the ground at my side. My eyes went wide as I choked at the sight of two human corpses drained of blood.

I heard more laughter when one of the lights lowered letting me see clearly. My eyes, though, were still adjusting to the sudden change. "He's still too green" I heard from the one on the left. He was chuckling.

"Lo que tu digas. Será un novato, pero si vieras lo que les ha echo a esa chusma de ahí no podrías evitar encariñarte con el maldito crío. Dos contra uno y los ha dejado a ambos para el arrastre… …delicioso… …Bueno, a uno de ellos. Al otro se lo ha cargado vete a saber con qué. ¿Y sólo hace una semana que fue convertido? Quisiera haber estado allí para verlo, aunque la verdad, parece que necesita refinarse. (2)" The other man spoke in another language. It was Spanish, without a trace of English accent, so I deduced he had to be native. Maybe Spaniard. I couldn't make half of it, but I caught some words in between.

His companion seemed to understand him though, and nodding he let out a low laugh. "yeah, he was pretty messed up. You think he will be useful?"

The other was about to retort when the feminine voice cut him off. "Enough, both of you. He'll do perfectly fine..." Then she turned to me. "Harry, get up. Now"

Now I could see them clearly as my vision finished adjusting. Two of them were unknown, but the third was family. The gaunt face of Isla Black was looking down at my form with a strange mix of pride, pleasure, disgust and anger. She didn't help me, she commanded me to get up. Harsh, forcing independence through my skull. The way of the Lasombra.

My arms and legs were wobbly, trembling. I was still too tired but the renewed energy filling every vein in my body was helping me struggle to get me on my feet. Finally, I made it.

"Good, Harry, pretty good. Now tell me, dear, how are you feeling" She asked in mock concern.

I snorted at her. What kind of question was that? Adopting an arrogant approach I grunted "Peachy"

A malicious grin appeared in the face of her Spaniard companion. He was a tall, square-jawed man with a long mane of dark curly hair. His regal features were accented by the rather bushy goatee he was sporting. His crooked nose was probably his most characteristic feature making him a rather intimidating person. The black leather he was dressed in was accenting the white skin more than it should.

The other man was a complete contrast except in clothing. He was rather short and a bit plump, round faced and more serious-looking than his comrade. Not by much though. He had wide shoulders and his hair was shaved. On his ears and lips sported several piercings, all of them long and pointy, looking rather painful. He seemed dangerous alright.

They both had muggle guns tucked tightly in the waistbands of their trousers.

Isla looked far more intimidating than the last time I had seen her. Her long wavy hair was in a high ponytail and the silk dress had been replaced by dark jeans, a turtleneck black jumper and a rather tight black leather trench coat. Her short stature wasn't an issue in her presence, which was powerful enough to warn me not to do or say anything that could endanger me. Yes, I had survived those two punks but at a rather high price and something told me that it wouldn't be the same with these three.

"These two are Emilio González..." gesturing to the Spaniard man "...and Gregoire Goshawk" indicating the shorter vampire. Then she turned to them. "Let's get going"

They started walking. I stood there unsure of what to do until Gregoire, the stocky one, turned to me and snorting shouted "What are you waiting for? Want us to leave you behind?"

I started walking, half-running, to catch up with them. When I was close enough, still limping a bit, I couldn't help to ask the obvious question. "Where are we going?"

"To the car" ...That was helpful...

"Cómo has dicho que se llamaba?(2)" Asked Emilio, again is spanish, to Isla.

"His name is Potter, Harry James Potter, and he is not to be touched or approached unless I or the Archbishop say to do so. Understood? You could say that he is my... ...'nephew' and my responsibility. As I said before, he will be helpful" Something warm pooled at the base of my stomach, but I knew better than to attach me emotionally to them.

Still, I couldn't help to argue in one point. "My name... Now they know me as Harold Eva..."My speech was interrupted by Isla backhanding me. I stumbled falling to the ground.

Confusion spread through me rapidly, but I said nothing more. I just glared at her questioningly with a hint of hurt. The other two looked at me with bored expressions, then at her. "Take the car and come here. I have something to say to my 'nephew'"

"Ok, we will pick you up later" they both left me and Isla alone.

With a commanding tone she ordered "Get up". I did so, still confused.

"Tell me, are you ashamed of what you are? Do you have regrets? Do you want to go groveling to your human friends? Be proud of who you are and what you've been turned to. Let the world know that Harry James Potter now is steps ahead in evolution. You are superior to them. Show it off! Don't hide your nature, be proud of it! Use it! Wield the power that's been given to you! Do not run from it. That ridiculous name doesn't feet you, only your real name does."

A long silence followed her first statements. The rain was falling almost forming a steady rhythm, soaking everything around us. My hair was falling wet into my eyes and the water impacting with my body descended red to the ground.

Despite being what she was, belonging where she did, these were a few of the wisest words ever spoken to me. My eyes widened in realization. Should I embrace my nature? Should I view it as a strength and not as a weakness? A disease? Until this day I confronted vampirism as Remus had confronted his werewolf condition. With shame and insecurity. Had I been wrong?

"Until today I had my doubts about you. But after seeing your escape and viewing the results of a direct confrontation outnumbered, I'm sure that you will be of great use to the cause." My eyes looked into hers with a questioning glance. "My first approach to you was a tentative one. We wanted to know if what they commented about you and your sire were true. The first objective was to lure you" she giggled "the second one, to find about it. After our... ...'little' chat told me that you had no idea of what I had talked to you, but still, you would be useful and besides, family is family. After you were captured in the Eden, we still wanted to have a long talk with you and your sire, there were things still unanswered, so we attacked the little caravan of Ventrues that brought you to the Camarilla Prince's little manor. We managed to free that Bitch, little miss Ouvrard, your sire, but she did a 'thaumaturgical' number on us taking the pack by surprise and burning two of our comrades to death. This forced us to retire, at least for the time. When we returned, both the caravan and your Sire were gone..."

"What? You knew where I was?" I asked.

"Of course. How did you think we found you? Fate? Fortune? No, Emilio stood by to see what happened next when suddenly you jumped through a window." I nodded slowly. " My question now, my little sorcerer, is this: Why did they free you?"

My eyes went wide again, fear grasping me like a huge hand squeezing my breath forcefully "Wha... How?"

"How did I know? Easy. No one escapes a noble house if it is not authorized, child, much less a Ventrue coven. They wanted you to leave, but left the hunt hanging over your head maybe as a 'motivation' or to keep appearances" she pouted a bit and asked with a sweet voice "Could it be... ...Maybe to spy on us?"

Shit.

"Do not worry. You're still going to do it." What? "We have little time now, my dear. Everything will be explained later. Now we have a car to take"

I was still worried. The first of the plan already went wrong. God hail the secrecy and cunning of the Camarilla. Thank you for ensuring my safety, bastards. Everything failed again in question of minutes...

Swallowing hard, I asked. "Where are we going"

She turned to me and with a frightening smile answered. "Home"

Still curious, I asked one last thing tempting my luck. "Why do you need me?"

Her smile widened even more and her fine eyebrows shot up. " First, to enter the Wizarding World, of course" My eyes widened in alarm for the third time "after that, you'll see..."

* * *

**A/N:** This one was specially hard to write. It has my first action scene ever, so you can tell me how it was. I hope I didn't do too bad. Anyway, I'm sorry for the long wait, bu as always, I had more pressing matters out there. I also wrote the first chapter of a new Harry Potter story; "The Illusion". The idea came up while working on this and I had the sudden urge to write it down. I hope you'll enjoy both stories as they evolve.

**(1) **For those who are wondering, what Harry used to Kill the Vampire attacking him, it was indeed Thaumaturgy. Bloodmagic. For the purists, I know it has to be learned, but I said I would bend a bit the "rules" for me to be capable of building the story as I wanted. Thaumaturgy is based on will and intent (much like Wizarding Magic in the Harry potter world), forcing the power contained in the vitae to unnatural ends. So I treated the case a bit like Accidental magic. Occasionally, Harry will learn Thaumaturgy, but he won't be limited to only three paths; he rather will learn a reduced number of them, yes, but he will also show some spells outside the paths he will be using (much like the accidental use of this "Cauldron of Blood" on an enemy Vampire). He won't be uber-powerful, but he will be rather strong for a Newborn, keep that in mind.

**(2)** Part of this chapter is written in Spanish. I'll leave here the translations. If any of you has a question or wants to say something about it. You can contact me through a review or a Private Message.

1-"Whatever you say. He may be a newbie, but if you see what he's done to that scum you couldn't help but loving the damn brat. Two against one and he's destroyed them... ...delicious... ...Well, one of them. He disintegrated the other one, I don't know how he did it. ¿And it has only been a week since he was turned? I would've loved to be there to see it, although truth be told, maybe he needs a bit more refining"

2-"How did you say he was called?"

I hope you've enjoyed the read and I apologize again. Until next chapter...

**S****pecial thanks to all those who reviewed and added this story to their favorites list or their communities. For that I can't be grateful enough. You've been extremely helpful, and I would like for you to continue like this. Any doubt, any opinion, it'r very helpful.**

Now, **REVIEW**

**The Mysterious Nobody**


	9. Notice

I know this is no place for an Author's note, but I just wanted everyone who might read it to know, that "Take a Look through the Masquerade" is being rewritten under the name of "The Blood of the Gods", and therefore, this will not be continued. When I read back the on thid, I find it lacking, bad and with major plotholes from ideas that came along while I was writing. Now I'm trying to use what I can from this first attempt, correct mistakes and fill the plotholes so it can be an, at least, half-decent story.

Thank you, those who have read, enjoyed and reviewed this story. I hope you'll continue to do so with the rewrite.

This Notice will be deleted in a few days time. Thanks again.

**The Mysterious Nobody**


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